Nightshade
by occultmagic
Summary: When it comes to good and bad there are three Xmen who toe the line between already. Throw in a new recruit, a chemically synthesised version of Stryker’s serum and Storm has a dilemma. But will it be dealt with her way, or Magneto’s? [Starbright Sequel]
1. Robyn

Wow, the line break button works again! Yay! Er... anyway (lol) welcome to the first chapter of Nightshade.

In case you didn't read the summary this is a sequel! So it wont make any sense to you unless you've read the first installment. Of course there is every chance it wont make any sense anyway, but give yourself the best chance :D

Just a quick note - this chapter may come across a bit odd. It's only short and more of a prologue than a chapter really. It's just setting the scene and introducing you to a new character. I could have made it loger, but I wanted to post something up before I went off to University, because I don't know what my internet access it going to be like when I get there. I will be continuing the story, but it's just going to take me a few days to get settled. Once I do I'll continue posting, but I wanted to give you guys something as a taster.

Anway, that's enough of me rabbiting on. Thanks for all the reviews you guys left me on Starbright! 127 reviews! I seriously love everyone who has helped me get that many :)

I'd love to know what you think of this (even if it is just wtf?) so please carry on leaving reviews! Oh yeah, and I put some links on my homepage to preview banners for this series (and a really old one of the last series I made ages ago and forgot about) if you want to take a look!

* * *

Robyn Meredith woke to the sound of the radio. Eight o'clock the DJ told her, time to get up. She felt for the button which shut her alarm clock off and pressed it, before getting out of bed and starting her morning rituals.

Shower, dress, breakfast, listen to the news, listen to her messages, head out to work.

Showering through to eating breakfast was uneventful. All the news had to say that was of interest to her was that another local restaurant had been gutted by a fire, the seventh one in two weeks. Police were beginning to suspect arson. Only beginning… Robyn and her friends at work had suspected it from the start. Fires don't spread from an oven that way.

Still, they hadn't burned down Zeera's yet. Robyn wasn't sure if she would be glad if they did or not. Sure she loved the people she worked with, and the place had its charm, but she wouldn't mind a nice long holiday.

Robyn rose from her breakfast bar, dumping her plate in the sink, then made her way to her phone, hitting the message playback button. She sat on her sofa putting on her shoes as she listened through.

"_Hey Rob, just me. I know you're working late tonight and probably won't check this til morning, but if you could give me a bell as soon as you can that would be great. Nothing too important, just wanted to talk flights and hotels. Well, talk to you soon, tra!"_

Robyn smiled to herself. Cherie from work, her closest friend, was determined to take her on holiday somewhere exotic. Robyn had the money, but she preferred to spend her holidays at home.

"_Hi Robyn, it's Janice from work, not that you probably couldn't tell… anyway! Just wondering if you would be ok to swap shifts tomorrow. I know it is supposed to be your night off, but we've had a load of extra bookings and Derek is on holiday. I was going to ask you at work, but you've gone, must have just missed you. So, no worries if you had something else planned, just let me know either way! Bye."_

Robyn stopped putting on her shoes. So much for going to work, looked like she was taking the late shift. Oh well, she preferred the late shift anyway.

"_Hi, it's Mark. You already knew that as soon as I said hi, didn't you? I hate answer phones, always make an idiot of myself, and now I've gone and forgotten what I was going to say! Er… oh yeah, I don't know if you're free at all, but I've got tomorrow off, today, probably, by the time you listen to this, and, well, I'd really like to see you. Give me a call, bye."_

Robyn grinned. Mark… he was a complete dork, but he was sweet, and now he'd solved the problem of what to do with herself for the rest of the day.

She resumed putting on her shoes and wandered over to the phone. First she called Janice and told her she would take the late shift, then she called Mark and he said he'd be round to pick her up in half an hour. Then she called Cherie.

"Hello," Cherie said.

"Judging from the way you were talking on my answer phone you've already booked flights and hotels…" Robyn said dryly. Cherie laughed.

"Hi Robyn, you not working today?"

"Janice swapped my shifts – apparently it's going to be busy later."

"Yeah, well with all the other restaurants in the area burned down that gives us quite a lot of extra custom! So, what are you doing with yourself for the rest of the day?"

"Going somewhere with Mark," Robyn replied.

"Mark the hot geek?" Cherie asked.

"The one with the nice voice and slight northern accent."

"Yeah, of course, sorry," Cherie said, "I think we're talking about the same guy."

"Are you working later as well?"

"Yeah," Cherie didn't sound too pleased about it.

"Well, I'll talk flights and hotels then," Robyn said.

"Ok," Cherie perked up considerably, "I was thinking maybe Corfu, or Tenerife."

"I'll leave it to you," Robyn said, "Right now I've got to go and changed from work clothes to going out on a date clothes."

"Ok honey, you have a good time, and I'll see you later!"

"Bye Cher," Robyn hung up the phone.

Changing from work clothes to dating clothes only really constituted of removing her apron and jacket (it had the tag 'Zeera's' across the collar, not really what you wanted to be seen out in) and finding a less formal top.

Ten minutes later and she was ready, just as the doorbell rang. Robyn went over to the speaker grill by her front door and pushed in the button.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Just me, Rob," Mark's voice responded.

Robyn smiled and opened the door.

"Hi," he said, squeezing her hand in greeting.

"What's the plan then?" Robyn asked, "I presumed that 'picking me up' meant taking me somewhere."

"Well, we don't have to go anywhere if you don't want to, but I…"

"Mark, why wouldn't I want to?" Robyn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you've only really met me a couple of times, I don't want you doing anything you're not comfortable with."

"I'm perfectly comfortable with going out somewhere with you, I've met you enough times for that, and besides, I can smell trouble a mile off."

"Really?" Mark asked with a laugh.

"Yes, it's normally wearing too much Lynx and not using enough soap," Robyn said.

"Now you're making _me_ nervous," Mark said, smelling his shirt to make sure he didn't smell too strongly of bodyspray, "and to think I was worried about you!"

"I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself," Robyn said with a smile, "Now where are we going?"

* * *

"Ok, I'm totally trusting you now, because I have no idea where we are!" Robyn said with a happy laugh as Mark led her through the streets, holding her hand in his. 

"Really? None at all?" Mark sounded like he had triumphed.

"Nope," Robyn said, "And I thought I knew this city!"

"Well, we're almost there," Mark said, his pace picking up a little in his excitement.

"Almost where?" Robyn asked, sprinting to keep up with him.

"Here," Mark said.

Robyn stood very still, listening to the sounds around her. The breeze smelt of fresh cut grass with a slight hint of barbecue. There was clearly a lot of people here – the air was buzzing with the bustle of human activity, conversation and gesture. Faintly she could hear the sound of instruments tuning up.

"Ok, where are we?" she asked.

"There's a local jazz band playing here, free concert in the park. I know you like music, so I thought you might like to check it out."

A beautiful smile graced her face, one of pure delight.

Mark made sure she got home in plenty of time to get to work, that way he could linger in her doorway a little while, maybe get her to agree to another outing, another date. He really hoped so.

"Thanks Mark, I had a wonderful time," Robyn said as she found the keys for her door and slotted them in the lock.

"No problem," he said, "I had a great time to."

"Well then," Robyn said, opening her door, "We should definitely do it again sometime."

Mark could hardly believe his luck.

"I'd love that," he said.

Feeling adventurous he lowered his head to hers. He didn't quite manage to pluck up the courage to actually kiss her, but she must have felt his breath on her face, for she raised her head the rest of the way to meet him. His hands found their way to her face as the kiss became deeper, his fingers brushing along her blacked out glasses. He could have stayed there forever, but she broke away.

"I have to go to work," she said, "but, I'm working early tomorrow, you could come here in the evening if you like. We could go somewhere, or just hang out here, whatever you like. Give me a call during the day, let me know."

"Sure," he replied, surprised at her forwardness.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," she said, waving at him as she clicked the door shut.

In the corridor Mark breathed out heavily, amazed at how smoothly and brilliantly this was all going. He was fair looking, but he had always been shy around girls, especially gorgeous, clever girls like Robyn. On the other side of the door Robyn smiled happily then went to get changed back for work.

* * *

"So, how did it go?" Cherie asked her as she walked through the door to Zeera's. 

"Pretty good," Robyn said vaguely, searching around for a spare notepad and pencil.

"Pretty good?" Cherie asked, putting one in her hand, "Are you two official now?"

Robyn thought over the kiss they had shared.

"I would say so," she said with a grin.

Cherie squealed excitedly.

"Oops, better go!" she said, "my table looks ready to order. When I get back I want details!"

Robyn laughed and shook her head, before heading off to find Janice.

"Thanks for this, Robyn, I appreciate it," Janice said as she approached, "I'm so understaffed at the moment!"

"Oh come on," Robyn said, "You know it's just because you get better tips when you've got your blind waitress serving."

"That too," Janice said with a bark like laugh. She fell silent for a moment, then spoke again.

"Also, I'm expecting trouble, and you're the only person I know who can tell if a person is trouble as soon as they walk in the room."

"Why are you expecting trouble?" Robyn asked.

"That arsonist, the one who gutted first Alexander's, then the Old Boathouse, the Jaipur and all the rest…"

"The one the police are finally admitting is an arsonist?"

"That's the one," Janice said. Robyn didn't need to be able to see to tell she was grimacing, "Well, I've had a load of funny characters in here today, and I'm starting to get worried."

"What do you mean by funny characters?" Robyn asked.

"Well, first off there was this lad who came in, wandered round for a bit then wandered off again. Spent the whole of his two minutes in here glowering self-importantly at everyone, smirking like he had something planned. I might just be being jumpy, but I didn't like him."

"That's one," Robyn said, "Who were the rest?"

"A couple of guys, one wearing a really large overcoat – looked like he was hiding something, a woman a bit later who sat here for ages. Dragged out one mug of coffee for nearly two hours. Like I said, I'm probably just being jumpy, but it seemed to me they were all either hiding something or looking for something. What do you make of the people in the room right now?"

Robyn listened carefully for a moment, turning her head like she was looking around.

"Who are the two in the corner, table seven?"

"Couple of girls, American I think, name on the booking was Pryde, but the card they've been flashing around belongs to a W. Worthington. Amex, so they must be pretty loaded, though neither look a day over twenty."

"Probably daddy's little angel and her friend," Robyn said, "What do they look like?"

"One looks like she lost her hairbrush on the flight over here, but otherwise both well dressed. I'm glad you picked them out."

"Why?" Robyn asked.

"Well, it might interest you to know that the first thing they did when they got to their table was to put their candle out…"

* * *

hehe, guess who... lol

The X-men will be featuring in the next chapter, like I said at the beginning, this is really just setting the scene. Story starts in the next installment! Let me know what you think! Xx


	2. Starbright and Shadowcat

Hello! This is me from my new room at Uni :) I have wireless net in my room, it's fab! so updates are going to be no problem, provided I get time to write them of course... but given that I'm doing a creative writing course it's all good practice.

Anyhoo, thanks a load for all the lovely reviews of the first chapter. I'm glad you all seem to like the sound of my new character. Let me know what you think of this chapter!

* * *

Robyn took it upon herself to serve table seven. She took a long time clearing up the table next to them to listen to their conversation a little before she actually took their order. As she approached she noticed a distinct smell of sulphur.

"Ugh, I don't know how you can face eating," one girl said.

"Didn't you like travelling by Kurt?" the other asked, laughing.

"Let's just say it's not an experience I would like to repeat in a hurry…"

"Kitty, I would have thought you of all people wouldn't have minded the unusual sensation."

"What I do and what he does are two entirely different things," Kitty replied.

"Whatever…"

'Kitty' was clearly American. Robyn could tell easily from her voice, but the other had an accent that she found hard to place. It sounded like a mixture of lots of different accents.

"What are you going to have anyway?" Kitty asked, "I think I'm going to stick with pizza."

"I dunno," the other replied, "Pick me something out at random."

"Aren't you going to even take a look?" Kitty asked, "I'll read it out to you if you like."

"Nah, don't bother, just order two of whatever you're having. I trust your taste."

"Ok…" Kitty said.

"Are you ready to order?" Robyn asked in her bright waitress tone, walking over to their table.

"Umm, yeah," Kitty said, "we'll have two mushroom pizzas, please. Is that alright with you Jack?"

"Yeah, whatever, you know me," the other girl said, "I'll eat anything."

"Two mushroom pizzas? Any drinks?" Robyn asked.

They both ordered lemonade, then Robyn wandered back over to the kitchens where Janice was waiting.

* * *

"I can't believe how hilarious some of these interviews are," Kitty said, flicking through a gossip magazine as they drank their drinks and waited for their meal.

Zeera's was a very informal place caught somewhere between restaurant and café, and there were plenty people around reading books as they waited.

"I mean, listen to this," Kitty continued, "'My first impressions of the X-men were not, in fact, of power and splendour, but that they are a group of very beautiful people. One look into the soulful, honest blue eyes of Iceman is enough to melt even the coldest heart.'"

Jack laughed as Kitty read it in an over the top, gushy manner.

"I mean, who wrote that? Rita Skeeter?" Kitty cracked up.

"That, funnily enough, is what Jimmy said," Jack replied, "Iceman's soulful blue eyes indeed… If they knew what he was really like!"

"Why do people read this trash anyway?" Kitty giggled, flicking further through the interview (it had gone on to say that even the gruff Wolverine had a charismatic charm).

"It's what people want," Jack said, "Men over dramatise, women romanticise – they want to know about Bobby's eyes."

"Oh shut up Miss 'I'm from another planet and I _still_ get better grades than everyone in English'," Kitty said.

"What can I say," Jack said, "Having certain leverage over the teacher goes a long way…"

Kitty snorted with laughter.

"I like this one," she said after a moment, turning to a different magazine.

"The profile one?" Jack asked, looking at the page and recognising the layout, if not the words.

"Yeah, it says nice things about me," Kitty said, giggling again.

"About your soulful brown eyes?" Jack asked with a grin.

"No!" Kitty said, laughing, "It says 'At the tender age of eighteen, Shadowcat is the youngest of the X-men, but by no means does that make her the least powerful. Blessed with the ability to walk through walls, Shadowcat has single-handedly rescued more people than most of the other X-men put together.'"

"Is that the one with the fact-files?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Kitty said, flicking further through the magazine, "Here we go."

"What does it say?" Jack asked.

"Name, age, height, weight, gender, power, favourite food, interesting fact, best moment."

"What did you say for your favourite food?" Jack asked.

"Ben and Jerry's Ice cream," Kitty laughed, "my interesting fact is that I am 'dating fellow X-man, super-hunk Colossus'."

"What's mine?"

"Er… you are 'severely dyslexic and unable to read and write. She uses a small scanning device to translate written word into spoken language, which, ironically, was funded for development by Worthington Industries.'"

Jack laughed.

"So, are you going to keep all these interviews as souvenirs?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, definitely – like an X-men scrapbook," Kitty said, "I think I'll want to look back at this when I'm eighty-five and need a laugh."

"To remind you that eighty-five year old Peter was once a super-hunk?" Jack laughed.

Kitty choked on a mouthful of lemonade as she tried to stop laughing.

"Behave!" Jack said, but she was still grinning widely.

"It's your fault!" Kitty protested, still coughing slightly.

* * *

Robyn brought Jack and Kitty their pizzas. She thought they were a little odd, but didn't think they were trouble. They seemed polite and carefree enough. They were quite loud and giggly, but they were two girls on holiday, so it wasn't really unusual. Robyn was just cleaning up a different table when someone else walked in.

They were male, quite young and had an arrogance about them that Robyn disliked instantly. Robyn straightened, holding her damp cloth in her hand and following his progress across the room, even though she couldn't see him.

"Table for one sir?" Cherie asked him.

He had something in his hands and was toying with it constantly. Robyn frowned as she tried to listen to the sound the object made.

_Click. Click. Click._

"Actually, I'm just looking for someone," he said, clicking the object in his hand decisively. Robyn didn't like him at all.

"Now that's interesting, John, who are you looking for?" the girl called Jack from table seven asked.

* * *

Jack stood up and looked across at Pyro. He scowled at her. In the three months since they had worked together to beat an alien invasion, any respect they had for each other had long since run out. Pyro flicked his hands, but as he did so a strange sensation rippled through him and he found his spark producing contraptions and his zippo lighter were no longer in his hands.

"Looking for these?" Kitty asked, waving them at him from behind him.

* * *

Robyn was confused. As far as she could tell Kitty had just run, not only through two tables, but straight through this John as well.

"Bit of a messy way of trying to find someone isn't it?" Jack commented, "What happened to Callisto?"

"She took a shot of the cure a month ago," John said, "No thanks to your boyfriend."

The Cure, Robyn thought, so these people are mutants. She rapidly thought over everything that had been happening recently. Dodgy characters in the restaurant, an arsonist in the news, Jack and Kitty putting out their candle, John flicking something in his hand, a lighter perhaps?

Robyn processed all this and thought with horror that this John was a Mutant who could control fire, and there was a candle on every table. Acting quickly, she extinguished all the nearby candles, pinching the wicks between her fingers. John must have noticed because when she put her hand to the last one the flame flared, burning her hand and jacket. Luckily for Robyn, it was table twelve and they had ordered champagne. With a grim smile she picked up the bucket of ice and tipped it over the candle.

John snarled in her direction, but he turned back to Jack and Kitty.

"What are you two doing here?" he asked.

"We were enjoying a pizza until you showed up," Jack said sarcastically.

"Come on, John," Kitty said, "You didn't think we wouldn't know it was you when a load of restaurants get burned down and Magneto is nowhere to be seen anywhere back home."

"Yeah, there was something about the systematic, methodical way that you were destroying the restaurants that had 'Brotherhood' written all over it," Jack said, "Alphabetical order, I ask you?"

That would explain why Zeera's hadn't been targeted until now, Robyn thought.

"You could have been a bit more random, then we would have had more trouble finding you," Jack continued, "You made it easy for us, so thanks!" she added brightly.

"Where's the rest of the team, _Starbright_, _Shadowcat_?" John asked, changing track of the conversation completely.

His voice still had a certain amount of sneer in it, but Robyn could sense a hint of uncertainty about him that wasn't there before. The swagger was gone and he seemed to be surveying his options, looking for an escape route.

"They're around," Jack said vaguely, "Don't think we'd go through all the trouble of following you here just to leave everyone else at home. So, who are you looking for, John."

"Why don't you all just mind your own business for once?" John demanded.

"Who are you looking for?" Kitty repeated.

Both Jack and Kitty took a step closer to him, and John decided it was time to leave and ran for the door.

"Get him, Kitty," Jack said.

"It would be my pleasure!" Kitty said as she ran past, through table twelve much to Robyn's confusion.

"That was quick thinking with the candles, thanks," Jack said, grabbing Robyn's hand and stuffing some money into it, before running off herself, leaving Robyn standing very bemused in the centre of the restaurant.

* * *

"What was all that?" Cherie asked as they washed up later.

After all the drama most people decided (quite surprisingly) that they would carry on with their evenings. Robyn thought they would all go home, afraid for their safety. She had almost hoped it would happen, then they could have gone home early.

"I think the arsonist that's been burning down restaurants was that lad, and he's a mutant who can control fire," Robyn said.

"Well, that would be why the police were so shifty, calling it accidental fires rather than admitting arson. They wouldn't want people panicking knowing there was a mutant involved," Cherie reasoned, "He said to me he was looking for someone."

"I know," Robyn said, and she had a good idea who.

"That American girl ran straight through the tables!" Cherie said, "Like a ghost, she sort of passed through them…"

"That really confused me," Robyn said, "I thought I was imagining things, but then they started talking about mutants and the Cure, then I thought maybe not."

"They use the Cure as a weapon over in America," Cherie said, "They should use it here too if characters like this John are going round causing trouble."

"They do use it here," Robyn said, "They introduced it three months ago after the World Summit, but because most officers here don't use guns, they've had to do some training programmes before they could use it as a weapon in the mainstream."

"How do you know all this?" Cherie asked.

"I listen to Radio Four," Robyn said dryly.

It was true, she did listen to the talk radio a lot, mostly to keep her company when she was on her own, but she also followed Mutant affairs very closely.

"I keep telling myself that one of these days I'll start listening to Radio Four and be generally more educated," Cherie said.

"Then Desperate Housewives comes on the telly and that all goes out of the window," Robyn said with a grin.

Cherie laughed.

"You know me too well," she said, "You know, those two girls left their credit card behind – it must have fallen out of one of their pockets while they were running after that guy."

"If they miss it they'll be back for it," Robyn said, "She threw more than enough money at me on her way out to cover the cost of the meal anyway, so it's probably fake."

"Do you think they were secret police or something?" Cherie asked, "Like the Mutant FBI?"

"I don't know," Robyn said, "possibly."

"You know, that would make for a cool TV show," Cherie said, making Robyn grin.

"You and your television…" she said, shaking her head as she dried the last of the dishes, "Well, I'm going to head home now. You in tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then," Cherie said, "Bye Rob!"

"Bye Cher."

* * *

Robyn slipped on her long coat, grabbed her white cane and headed outside. It was only a short walk from Zeera's to her house, but it was one that took her down many alleyways. Robyn had been walking for about five minutes when she realised she was being followed.

She did her best to ignore whoever it was, knowing that she could defend herself much better than most thought. She wasn't afraid as such, but it wasn't a nice feeling, knowing that someone was following her.

She got almost right up to her block of flats when someone spoke right behind her.

"It's you he was looking for, isn't it?"

* * *

Please review! xXx


	3. Daddy's Little Angel

Hello there everyone! It is two in the afternoon and I have not yet bothered to get out of my pyjamas, but hey, I've written an update!

Must go and be a bit more civilised after posting this though, starting with a shower...

Proper lessons start tomorrow, but my timetable isn't too jammed up. Infact I get thursday through sunday off completely, shich should leave plenty of time for writing. And recently Robyn and Jack have been nagging me to write about them quite tenaciously, so you should be in luck for updates.

Thanks as always to reviewers - it's nice to have so many of you :) :) :)

papersoul - sorry you were a bit confused! Robyn is blind but she can sense stuff by hearing it and feeling it. Like when you know someone's watching you, even though you can't see them? That sort of thing. It's also kinda helped by her mutation, which you learn a little about in this chapter. Hope that clears it up for you!

Anyhoo, onwards with the chapter!

* * *

Jack watched as the waitress turned round to face her, an amused smile on her face.

"You are very quiet," she said, "I had the other three pegged, but I didn't even notice you."

"What can I say," Jack grinned, "I'm just a sneaky sort of person."

"It's Jack, isn't it?"

"That's right," Jack replied.

"Where's Kitty?"

"How do you know she isn't one of the other three?" Jack asked.

"Because they're all male," the waitress replied, "There's the big guy who turned off a while back, presumably to cut in front, the kid wandering a little way behind you and the guy at the back who smells of cigars and thinks he's quiet but isn't."

"Yeah," Jack said, looking back at Logan, "I tried to tell him that heavy boots are not ideal footwear for following someone, but Wolverine is a slave to his fashion. The 'kid' is Iceman, and the other Beast."

"Wolverine, Iceman and Beast?" the waitress asked with disbelief.

"We are part of a team, a specialist club if you like, real names are members only privileges, so the rest of the world gets our codenames," Jack said.

"You told me your name," the waitress pointed out.

"You think my name is really Jack?" Jack asked with a laugh, "No, you wouldn't even be able to pronounce my real name. Speaking of names what's your name?"

"Robyn," the waitress told her, "is it too dark to see that on my nametag?"

"Probably not, but I can't read," Jack replied frankly.

"Right," Robyn said, "What makes you think it was me he was looking for anyway?"

"Well, he's been going round burning restaurants because he's looking for someone, which kind of implies this 'someone' works in a restaurant and that's all he knows. Your restaurant is the only one left, and you showed some real quick thinking back there, putting out all the candles, which means you're either not prejudiced about Mutants or you are one."

"Why do you say that?" Robyn asked.

"Well, most people get as far as thinking 'Mutant' and then start running round screaming, or is that just America?" Jack asked with a grin.

"So who was 'John' then, a friend of yours?" Robyn changed the subject.

"Old enemy," Jack said, "Goes by the name of Pyro and can control flames but not generate them. How's your hand by the way? You must have caught it in the fire putting out that last candle."

"I'll live," Robyn replied.

"Well that's good to hear," said Magneto's distinct voice from somewhere behind them.

* * *

Robyn turned to face the new voice. She didn't like the sound of him, whoever he was, and there were at least two other people with him, one of which was John.

"Is that stick of yours metal?" Jack asked.

"No, carbon fibre," Robyn replied, now completely confused.

"Good," Jack said then turned to face the newcomer, "I wondered when you would show up!" she called to him, "What do you want?"

"Pyro wants his lighter back," he said.

"Well Pyro will have to ask Kitty very nicely," Jack said.

The man chuckled, but his amusement passed and was replaced with a much more serious demeanour.

"Stop playing games Jack, you know what I want, you've known for months. You and the X-men wanted it too, but you didn't have the gumption to reach out and take it."

"No, you see, that's where you're wrong, because the X-men know it's not something that's just for the taking. We have values, Magneto, you ought to invest in some one of these days," Jack said.

"I value my comrades as much as the next person," the man said.

"I'm sure Mystique would tell you otherwise," Jack said, a more hardened edge to her voice.

Suddenly the man stopped smiling.

"Psylocke, Arclight, Multiple Man, Pyro," he ordered.

Robyn heard feet running up behind her, and for a moment thought they were going to be attacked from behind, but it was just the kid, Iceman, running up beside Jack. The one called Wolverine was close behind.

The old man, Magneto, had only said four names, but at least ten people walked in front of him. Robyn could hear them. There were too many footsteps to belong to just four people. Given that 'Pyro' could control fire, Robyn figured 'Multiple Man' was just as literal a code name.

"You don't seriously think you can defeat us do you?" Magneto taunted.

"There's no thinking involved, we _know_," Jack said.

"Whatever happened to the days of 'for old time's sake', Jack?"

"Three months of putting up with your incessant desire to take over the world?" Jack said with a shrug.

Robyn was so confused now it had gone beyond a joke. She was actually starting to feel a little unnerved, something she didn't feel very often. Everyone was speaking in riddles and she wasn't sure who to trust anymore.

"Well bicker away all you like, but can I please get past and go home?" she asked, trying not to let the fear she felt sound in her voice.

She felt Magneto looking at her.

"No, I think you should stay right where you are, Robyn is it?" he said, "Then when my companions have got rid of the nuisance beside you, you and I can have a little chat."

Jack made an indignant noise.

"No thank you," Robyn said dryly, "I have a previous engagement with the kettle in my flat."

"What a lonely existence you must lead," Magneto said, "Come with me and you could be among people who appreciate who you really are, a goddess!"

"Magneto, did anyone ever tell you that the recruitment speech is a little on the creepy old man side of things?" Jack asked.

Iceman snorted with laughter, but Robyn was getting fed up.

"The only place I'm going is _home_," she said, walking determinedly round Magneto and his gang.

She got almost all the way past when a surprisingly strong gloved hand grabbed her wrist and wheeled her round. Robyn rapped her stick hard against his legs but he didn't even flinch.

"Now, now, that's just rude," Magneto said.

"So is inviting yourself into someone's personal space," Robyn snapped, trying to pull her arm from his grip.

Behind her Jack and her friends were distracted fighting Magneto's cronies. Robyn could barely make out what was going on in all the chaos and confusion.

"Such a pretty little thing," Magneto said, tracing a finger down her cheek.

"So I'm told," Robyn said icily, "now let me go!"

"Oh I don't think so," Magneto said, tightening his grip.

* * *

Jack ran circles around Arclight, finally getting close enough to hit her after a few minutes. Once she was dealt with, Jack located her phone and called Storm who was waiting nearby with the rest of the team, ready to act as back up if necessary. Though Jack could make head nor tail of the numbers and letters on the phone, she had learned which buttons to press to call which person after an hour or so of diligent practise.

It was Kitty who answered.

"You ok?"

"Not exactly Kitty, we have a slight Magneto problem, so tell everyone to get over here quickly please," Jack said as she darted sideways past on of Multiple Man's multiples.

"We'll be there asap," Kitty said.

* * *

"There's something you've been neglecting to mention to your little friends at the restaurant, isn't there?" Magneto asked, his voice drenched in the amusement he was feeling at her expense.

Robyn struggled, but she wasn't stronger than him, she would never get out of his clutches through sheer brute force.

"You're not like them, are you?" Magneto continued, "not just an ordinary little human girl, a parasite. You're very powerful, aren't you Robyn? Powerful like me. You could be great! Why do you choose to live an mundane existence when you have the power to make the world your oyster?"

"Because I never wanted the world," Robyn spat, struggling still.

She sensed Magneto was about to continue, but heavy footsteps walked right up to them.

"Put her down," a gruff voice said, followed by a sound like a blade being drawn.

"You never learn, do you Wolverine?" Magneto laughed, taking one hand off Robyn and holding it up at him.

"Oh he does," Wolverine said, and quite suddenly he was no longer a man, but a dainty woman who planted a kick in the centre of Magneto's chest, sending him staggering off balance.

"Time to go!" Jack said, appearing from nowhere, grabbing Robyn's hand and dragging her away.

"What the hell just happened back there?" Robyn asked as they ran.

"That was Mystique," Jack said, "She can shapeshift. I'm really sorry about all of this, and I know we're currently running away from your house, but I'll get you back there by the end of the evening, I promise."

"Where are we going now then?" Robyn asked as Jack pulled her into a little side alley.

"Somewhere safe," Jack said, "Until my friends can get Magneto to clear off."

"What sort of a man chooses to call himself Magneto?"

"The sort of man that can control magnetic fields and has a penchant for taking over the world?"

"Yeah, I guess," Robyn said, "So are you and your friends after me as well?"

"Not really," Jack replied, "We heard there was a class four mutant in the area, so naturally we were curious – you don't get many mutants that powerful, but we don't go as far as Magneto with the kidnapping and the terrorism."

Her voice was a little muffled as she fumbled around for something in her jacket.

"What are you looking for?" Robyn asked, still a little wary.

"This!" Jack said with triumph as she laid her hands on whatever it was, "It's nothing dangerous, just a torch. I'm just trying to catch the attention of our ride out of here."

Robyn could hear Jack clicking it on and off.

"Won't that attract the attention of everyone else as well?"

"Probably," Jack said. She sounded completely unconcerned. "Just to check you _are_ who they are looking for, right?"

Robyn was about to answer when she felt someone running towards her. Acting purely on instinct she twirled round to face them. As she did so the mutation that was at once responsible for most of her confidence and insecurity kicked in. Her body began to secrete a thick smoke that she could control like another limb. She pushed it outwards towards the person running up to them with near explosive force, sending them flying backwards clean out of the alleyway.

"Well, I guess that answers that question…" Jack said.

* * *

Storm arrived with the other X-men about ten minutes after Jack spoke to Kitty. Bobby, Mystique and Hank were doing a fair job of keeping Magneto occupied, but without backup they didn't stand a chance of beating them and driving them off.

"Nice of you to join us Ororo," Hank said with a grin, swatting aside a Multiple.

Storm had time to smile at him briefly before he bounded off to take on another. With Callisto currently out of action, Storm went straight for Magneto. Calling up the wind she propelled herself to his side, charging up with lightening as she did.

"Storm, my dear, why do we have to go through this every time?" Magneto asked, chuckling slightly.

"I can't let you get away with this Magneto!" Storm said, "It's kidnap!"

"Ever the righteous one, when will you learn that the world has no place for such righteousness?"

"Charles believed it did."

Storm met Magneto's eyes calmly, holding them in a battle of wills. In the end it was Magneto who backed down. All around him his Brotherhood were being beaten by the X-men – he knew he stood no chance of winning, but he could walk away now with his dignity.

"I can't promise I won't be back for her," Magneto said, "I am very interested in what our dear Robyn is capable of."

"Then I will just have to promise to always be there to stop you," Storm said.

"One day your X-men will get tired of fighting the good fight," Magneto said, "Save what time you have left with them fighting the _real_ bad guys."

* * *

"So," Jack said after a long pause, "What exactly was that?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Robyn said dryly, "I can just sort of do it."

"It was like kinda smoke," Jack said, "how much can you control it? You must have some control else you would have hit me too."

"Completely," Robyn said, "It's like another body part, I can feel it, direct it."

"Weird," Jack said in her quirky offhand manner, "No wonder Magneto is so interested in you."

"I'm not going to be able to get home again, am I?" Robyn asked.

"I promised I would get you back," Jack said.

"But if he's interested enough in me to come all the way to England and seek me out then what's stopping him coming back?"

"It's a fair point," Jack conceded, "I'm sorry."

"No, thank you for keeping me away from him this far," Robyn said.

"No problem," Jack said, "It's what we do best!"

"Rescuing people or irritating Magneto?" Robyn asked, allowing a hint of British sarcasm to enter her voice.

Jack smirked before quite smugly saying, "Both!"

"So where are you from anyway?" Robyn asked after a moment of silence, "Kitty was obviously American but I couldn't quite place your accent."

"That information is also a members only privilege," Jack said.

"Are you trying to tempt me to join your little team?" Robyn asked.

"No," Jack said, "I'm more of an 'ask outright' sort of person. I just don't give away my secrets to people I don't feel need to know them."

"Then they must be bad secrets," Robyn said.

"Depends how you look at it," Jack said cryptically.

"Well given that I can't 'look' at anything and I am currently relying on you to keep me safe, perhaps you should be a little more reassuring," Robyn said, a little more testily than she intended.

Jack shifted from where she had been leaning against the wall of the alleyway and walked over to Robyn.

"Sorry," she said, "I'm so used to keeping secrets and telling lies I'm finding it kinda hard to break the habit. But you can trust me, hard as that may be to believe, me and the X-men will keep you safe."

Robyn sighed, pushing her long hair out of her face as she thought over the situation.

"I don't think I have a choice but to trust you," she said, "I can't fight off Magneto and his army on my own."

"Well we can help you with that for as long as necessary," Jack said.

"And how long is that likely to be?" Robyn asked, thinking of how on Earth she was going to explain this to Janice without her getting suspicious.

"Depends," Jack said, "Magneto's attention span is a little fickle. Sometimes he gives up on something after one attempt, but then he's been trying to rule the world for the better part of twenty years."

"How am I going to explain this to my boss?" Robyn said, shaking her head in exasperation.

"Sorry," Jack said, "Again…"

"Much as it would be nice to blame you, I hardly think it's your… fault…" Robyn trailed off as she looked towards the sky, her sightless eyes following a sound she had heard. The soft beating of very large wings.

Jack looked up as well, a hint of impatience about her manner.

"What is that?" Robyn murmured.

Jack turned to face her, a wicked grin on her face.

"Daddy's little Angel," she said as Warren Worthington III landed beside her.

* * *

Please review! Xx 


	4. Introductions

Hey hey! Having a night in, so here's a chapter I finished for you. I'm at Uni, supposed to be partying all the time, but I'm just too knackered... Nearly didn't make my nine o'clock lecture this morning!

Anyhoo, thanks for the reviews :) and here's the next chapter for you to (hopefully) enjoy!

* * *

Logan sat on his own in the X-Jet, waiting for everyone else to return. He had wanted to go, but there was some plan involving Mystique taking his shape to fight Magneto that meant he got to stay behind. Joy.

He filled the metal box with cigar smoke, resting his feet on the probably sensitive and fragile controls, glad for five minutes peace from Jack and Kitty's constant bickering. It may have been good humoured, but there was something about the shrill tone Kitty took on when she was defending herself from Jack's teasing that really went through him.

His peace was short-lived, however, and all too quickly interrupted by a persistent banging on the ramp.

"Oi! Open up Logan, I know you're in there!" Jack demanded from the outside.

Logan contemplated ignoring her, but knew it wasn't worth it. Jack would persist in banging until it annoyed him sufficiently to make him open up. Languidly he pushed the button and lowered the ramp.

"Thank you," Jack trilled sweetly, before giving him a wide grin and sitting herself in one of the chairs.

"Where are we now then?" a British voice that Logan didn't recognise asked.

"The X-men private jet," Jack answered, spinning round in her chair, "There's a seat two steps forward and one to the right once you get off the ramp."

Logan turned round to look at this newcomer. They hadn't had a new recruit 'teacher age' for a while. Plenty of kids, but since Angel had turned up no new adults. He didn't count Jack as an adult, just like Kitty, Bobby and all the others, mostly because it annoyed them so much.

Logan had always considered Storm and Jean to be beautiful women. He was in love with Jean, she could have worn a bin bag, cut off all her glorious red hair and he would still have thought her beautiful, and it would take an idiot not to notice that Storm was attractive with her curves and ethnic beauty, but this woman was something else.

She was tall, towering over Jack who had stood up to help her find the chair and take her coat, and slim. Her hair was thick and long, and such a rich black that it shone blue in the light. She was wearing a long black overcoat that not only flattered her figure but gave her a dominating presence that just demanded attention. Logan nodded appreciatively, but only Jack seemed to notice. She threw a book at him.

"Hey!" Logan protested, sitting up in his chair, "I know you don't have much respect for authority Jack Starbright but you oughta stop being cheeky to me or I'll give you something worse than detention!" he snarled.

Jack just laughed at him.

"What could you possibly do to me, Logan?" she asked, grinning.

"Don't wind him up Jack," Warren said, walking up the ramp behind her and closing it, "We're in a very enclosed space here…"

"Sorry bird boy, I hope you'll excuse me while I put three holes in your girlfriend, hopefully it'll shut her up for a little while," Logan said.

Warren just rolled his eyes before walking over to the new woman.

"Don't mind them," he said, "this is perfectly normal and will probably be over in about ten minutes."

"What interesting lives you must lead if this is considered normal…" she replied.

Logan looked over at Jack. She had a taunting smile on her face, but he decided against rising to it. He couldn't hit her anyway, and she knew that. With that damn shield of hers he couldn't even get close.

Jack gave him a mock look of disappointment as he grunted and went to sit back down, picking up his cigar where he left off. Warren wrinkled his nose in distaste at the strong smell, but didn't say anything. Jack wasn't normally one to keep her mouth shut about his smoking habits, but this time the new woman beat her too it.

"Put that out, it's a disgusting habit," she said.

"I do beg your pardon, princess," Logan said sarcastically.

From behind her glasses she seemed to be staring right through him, which Logan found a little annoying and unnerving. Then he noticed the white cane she was carrying and realised why Jack had directed her so specifically to a chair.

"Robyn, meet the real Wolverine," Jack said, "He's not the most charming guy in the world, but he's not too bad, if you can get past the cigars."

"I can be charming if I want to," Logan said to Jack.

"Why don't you start by putting that out," Jack challenged.

"Why don't you keep your mouth shut," Logan said irritably.

His head was turned towards her, his cigar in one hand. The other he was using to point angrily at her, like that would make a difference. Warren was watching them with a very weary expression, but suddenly his slightly bored demeanour changed. He sat up and looked curiously over towards Logan's hand, the one holding the cigar.

Logan was about to ask him what was so damn interesting when he felt the cigar plucked from his hand by a strong set of fingers. He turned to look at Robyn to see his cigar drifting towards her, being held in place by what looked like blue smoke. It swirled about the tip of the cigar, closing in on it firmly, extinguishing it. Robyn held her hand up and the smoke carried the cigar towards it. Delicately she plucked it out of the air and the smoke dissipated.

"I'm sorry," she said, "But I can't stand smoke."

* * *

Warren watched Logan's expression go from curious to indignant to simply annoyed. He couldn't help smirking slightly at the older man. It wasn't often Logan got his comeuppance. 

"Interesting power," he grunted in the end.

Warren caught Jack's eye and had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. The look on Logan's face was priceless.

"Thanks," Robyn said. She put the cigar down, adjusted her hair and glasses before turning back to Logan in a business like manner, "So you're 'Wolverine'," she said, then turned to face Warren, "And I presume you go by a name a little less demeaning than 'bird boy' most of the time?"

"I'm Angel," Warren said.

"Is that as literal as Pyro and Multiple Man?" Robyn asked.

"Sixteen foot fluffy white wings, blonde curly hair and baby blue eyes," Jack said, "I'd say that was pretty literal."

"Baby blue eyes?" Warren said, "You make me sound about ten years old. It's nice to meet you, Robyn." He added, ever one to remember his manners.

"Likewise," Robyn said, though she didn't sound entirely convinced.

Warren felt a little bit guilty. He should probably have gone through the introduction motions before he had flown her ten minutes across the city to where the jet was hidden. But despite the confusion and disorientation Robyn must have been feeling, she seemed fairly cool and collected.

Jack sat back down in her chair and proceeded to spin round on it in a very childish, but strangely endearing manner. She smiled over at him and Warren felt his heart beat a little faster. Even after three months of dating she still held that power over him, and he thought she probably would forever.

"We just have to wait for Storm to get back now," Jack said to Robyn, "When she does we'll decide what's the best thing to do."

"I get the distinct impression that 'the best thing' is not going to involve me going about my life as normal," Robyn said, "You're going to have to take back that promise."

"I wish I could say otherwise, but I think you're right," Jack said.

Warren watched Robyn as she sighed resignedly, sitting back in her chair, pushing her hair and glasses back once again. She was an incredibly beautiful woman, made somehow even more so by the fact that she didn't know it. There was a wonderful shyness about her that most beautiful people didn't possess.

"It's not so bad," Jack said, "If worst comes to worst you could always come and stay with us for a while, until things blow over."

"And though that might not sound like such a thrilling prospect right now," Warren said, "It honestly isn't as bad as it appears."

"You mean to say you aren't always trying to kill each other?" Robyn asked, a wry smile gracing her face.

"Not always," Jack laughed, "We get on like a house on fire, don't we Logan?"

"If you say so," Logan growled.

"I thought names were a members only privilege," Robyn said.

"Well, so is being on our jet really," Jack said.

"In other words Jack is really rubbish at remembering to use codenames," Kitty said, walking though the wall of the jet and punching the open button to let the others in.

It had taken Warren a while to get used to Kitty appearing at random like this, and he felt a wave of sympathy towards Robyn when she jumped in surprise.

"Magneto gone?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, not sure what Storm did, but she got him to go away," Kitty said with a shrug.

The rest of the team were walking up the ramp behind her. Bobby and Peter were talking animatedly about defeating one of the Multiples, Mystique was looking as cool as ever, back in her human guise that she maintained more often than not these days (Warren personally believed it was a small rebellion against Magneto) with Storm, Nightcrawler and Hank following behind.

"Everyone here?" Storm asked.

"All present and accounted for, I believe," Hank said, looking round.

"Get strapped in and ready to head back then," Storm said, before walking over to where Robyn was sat.

* * *

Kurt Wagner had returned from Germany a couple of weeks after the events that lead to Rogue leaving the X-men. He had been visiting his family for a year before returning to stay in America indefinitely. A year wasn't that long, but there had been an amazing amount of change in the mansion, from the death of Scott and Xavier himself to the arrival of new teacher Warren and Mystique's dramatic side change. It had taken a lot to get used to. 

After a brief period of mourning Xavier, Scott and Jean, Kurt had endeavoured to help out around the mansion in any way he could. He taught language classes to the students to give them a richer curriculum, and acted as a priest to those students who were religious, along with general helping out in Danger Room sessions and X-men duties. In a way he felt guilty for leaving the X-men at a time when they could have really used another helping hand, but Storm had insisted that he was where he needed to be.

Sat now in the X-jet, with his friends who had become celebrities in America during his absence, Kurt couldn't help thinking what a long way he had come from the days he had spent running because someone had used a potion to make him do what they wanted, namely assassinating the President. Kurt still thanked God every day that he had not succeeded. Thanks to the President, Mutants were now in a much better position, and that would not have been possible had Kurt killed him.

"I'm very sorry about all of this," Storm's voice broke him out of his musings, "My name is Ororo Munroe, perhaps better known as 'Storm'."

She was talking to the new woman, a dark haired beauty of about twenty-five.

"Robyn Meredith," she replied, standing up and finding Storm's hand to shake, "Jack told me you were in charge of whatever organisation or operation this is."

Kurt looked over at Jack. She was one of the many new things he had had to get used to. Whereas Warren was a simple and honest soul, amiable and easy going, and even Mystique came with a certain amount of 'what you see is what you get', Jack was something else altogether.

In all honesty he hadn't even noticed her when he had first returned to the mansion. It was only when he had a run in with Logan that had deteriorated down into him muttering insults in German that she had caught his attention.

"If you're going to insult him at least say it in English so everyone else can laugh at his expense," she said to him in perfect German.

He looked over at her, taking in her scruffy hair, unconcerned manner and her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.

"I don't believe we've been introduced," he said, "I am Kurt Wagner."

"Jack Starbright," she replied, "Well, not really, but that's a long story."

He had been about to ask her to tell him, but she had been dragged off by Kitty to discuss their English homework. Briefly she had turned round, caught his eye and winked, before allowing herself to be shepherded into Kitty's room.

Kurt pulled himself back to the present in time to hear Storm say to Robyn, "Well, you are welcome to come with us, of course. I know it's hardly ideal, but given the circumstances perhaps it's the best option."

"You mean given that I'm likely to be attacked and kidnapped if I stay in my house, and tracked down if I try to move?" Robyn said.

"Pretty much," Jack said.

"We can keep you safe from Magneto," Storm continued, "but it will mean leaving all your friends and family behind."

"Family not a problem, I don't have any," Robyn said, "But can't I at least leave my boss and friends messages?"

"If Magneto finds anyone who he might be able to use as leverage over you then he probably will," Jack said, "You'd be better off making a clean break, at least until Magneto's backed off a bit. I mean, do your friends even know you're a mutant?"

"No," Robyn replied, "it's not really been the right political climate to go about broadcasting information like that."

Hank chuckled.

"Will Magneto ever back off?" Robyn asked.

"The thing with Magneto is he has very strange values," Jack said, "Once he gains a certain amount of respect for you he'll leave you alone. It shouldn't be too hard for you to earn that respect, being as powerful as you are."

"I have to earn my potential kidnapper's respect?" Robyn asked, disbelief ringing clear in her voice.

"I know, it seems backwards," Jack said, "But it'll work."

"Whatever," Robyn said, "Just get me out of here before he turns on my friends an colleagues."

"You heard the lady," Logan said, "Get this heap of junk back to Westchester."

* * *

Robyn sat at the back of the jet in a semi-shocked state. The events of the day were starting to catch up with her and as more miles rolled by beneath her, the more confused and dreadful she felt. 

"How you holding up?" Jack asked, coming to sit by her.

"I've been better," Robyn said, "It's not every day you end up being taken halfway across the world because some maniac has it in his head that he wants to kidnap you."

"It sucks, I know," Jack said, "But of all the places to be dragged halfway across the world to, Xavier's is probably one of the nicest. At least for people like you."

"People like us don't you mean?" Robyn asked, wondering why Jack felt she was different to her.

"Well, I'm an exception," she said, "I got dragged halfway across the Universe."

Robyn couldn't quite tell if Jack was being serious, but before she could ask, the girl had moved on to a different topic of conversation.

"You'll feel better once you know who everyone is," Jack said, "And I don't mean stupid codenames either, I always forget to use them anyway. You've already met Kitty. Iceman's real name is Robert Drake, or Bobby, then there's Peter sat next to him. Mystique's real name is Raven but everyone just calls her Mystique, then there's Hank McCoy…"

"As in the politician?" Robyn interrupted.

"That's the one," Jack said, "Secretary of Mutant Affairs. He's sat on the chair next to Mystique. Behind him is Logan, who you already know, and next to him is Kurt."

"Who's W. Worthington?" Robyn asked, remembering the card Cherie had told her about, "or did you steal that credit card?"

"No!" Jack protested, "it's his," she pointed over to where Angel was sitting.

Angel turned in his chair, looking back at them. Robyn could sense a certain amount of amusement emanating from him. It was obvious to her that he was very fond of Jack.

"Warren Worthington, the third, the only person around here rich enough to have a credit card he can afford to let Kitty get her hands on!" Jack said with a laugh, "That's everybody, isn't it?"

"I think so," Warren said, containing a laugh as he turned back round.

Robyn wasn't sure if she felt any better for knowing everyone's names. Sure the presence of esteemed politician and Mutant Rights Activist Hank McCoy had been something of a reassurance, but it didn't really detract from the fact that she was about to land in a completely different town in a completely different country on a completely different continent. Robyn didn't like changes. It took her a long time to get comfortable with a place, and once she had she didn't like to leave it. She hadn't moved since her Mother died ten years ago.

* * *

Please review! Xx 


	5. The Mansion

New chapter for all my wonderful readers! Thanks for the reviews as always, please keep them coming - I love to know what you think!

Just to clarify once and for all, Rogue is not coming back in this story! She will feature, but it will be brief. I've worked it into the plot for all you Rogue fans out there. Sorry if that disappoints any of you... hope you keep reading anyway:)

* * *

When Robyn woke the next morning she had a brief moment where she panicked, wondering where the hell she was. After a moment of heart racing fear she remembered the events of the previous day. She breathed slowly for a moment to calm her erratic heartbeat then got out of bed. Two steps to the centre of the room, turn right once and walk forwards three steps to reach the bathroom door, she thought calmly.

She made her way to the bathroom and splashed her face with cold water, before fumbling around for her blacked out glasses and putting them on. She slipped into the dressing gown on the back of the bathroom door, then grabbed her cane and began to make her way out into the corridor.

As she hadn't woken to an alarm, Robyn had no way of telling what time it was. She guessed it was fairly early though, as the house was near silent. She swept her cane across the floor, picking out the corridor as she tried to recall the way to the kitchen.

It felt like so long ago since she had been at home preparing to go out for the day with Mark. Mark… she thought sadly. She wished she could get into contact with him somehow. Tell him she hadn't just abandoned him, no matter how much it might look like she had. But Jack was right, there was every possibility that Magneto might use her friends against her, and she didn't want to wish that on Mark or Cherie.

"Are you ok?" a young male voice asked from somewhere to her left.

Robyn reached out her hand and felt for the doorway that had to be there. The kid was too quiet to be right next to her, and there was no one in the corridor, so he had to be in a room that branched off from it.

"A little lost," she admitted as her hand connected with the doorframe.

She turned so she was facing the source of the voice. Judging by the slight echoes the room she was looking into was quite big, probably with a high ceiling.

"Most people get that on their first day," the kid said, "This is the library, where are you looking for?"

"The kitchen," Robyn said, "And can you tell me what time it is?"

"It's eight o'clock," the boy said, "most people aren't up for another hour or so. I'll take you to the kitchen if you like."

"Thanks," Robyn said.

The boy walked up to her and took her hand. Walking slowly and carefully, alerting her to any steps, he led her through the corridors to the kitchen.

"There you go," he said when he finished leading her.

"What's your name?" Robyn asked him.

"I'm Jimmy," he said.

"Well, thank you for your help Jimmy, I really appreciate it," she said, smiling at him.

"No problem," Jimmy said, wandering back down the corridor the way they had come.

Robyn smiled to herself, thinking how kind the young boy had been, then turned into the kitchen.

She wasn't the only one thinking of breakfast so early in the morning. Another figure was occupying the kitchen, the last one that Robyn really wanted to bump into.

"Good morning," she said as politely as she could manage.

"If you say so," Logan grunted.

He stank of cigar smoke and stale booze, like a dark old pub that had been host to the same bunch of old men for the last decade, but it wasn't only his smell that Robyn found objectionable. It was the way she knew he was looking at her.

Robyn didn't like people admiring her for her looks. She hated that people were that shallow to start with, and in a slightly more selfish way, she hated it because it reminded her of what she couldn't ever have. She would never be able to 'check someone out' so she preferred it if people didn't do it to her. It was beauty of the person that mattered, not beauty of their body.

"Stop looking at me like that," she said when she could put up with it no more.

"How do you know what way I'm looking at you?" Logan questioned.

"It's a sixth sense," she replied, feeling around in the cupboards for a mug.

Logan moved off his chair and was about to grab her hand to stop her rummaging, but she moved it, causing him to knock over a glass that she caught deftly in the hand she had just removed from his reach. She returned it to the cupboard and continued feeling until she placed her hand on the distinct curve of a mug handle. Grabbing it she put it down on the work surface and shut the cupboard, before breezing past Logan to find the kettle.

"Is there nothing that gets past you?" he asked irritably.

"I'm not perfect," Robyn said, "But not much."

She picked up the kettle. It felt heavy enough so she put it down and turned it on.

"You adjust quickly," Logan remarked as she began rifling through more cupboards for teabags.

She found what felt like tea but held the packet up to her nose and smelt them just to check they weren't some sort of herbal tea. Confident that it was good old-fashioned tea, she put on of the bags in her mug and returned the box to the cupboard she had got it from.

"I have to," she said to Logan, as the kettle came to the boil.

"Sure you don't want some help with that?" Logan asked as she put her thumb inside the cup and began to pour herself a drink. As soon as she felt the boiling liquid touch her skin she stopped pouring and put the kettle down.

"If there's one thing I need less than your cigar smoke and attitude problem, it's your pity," Robyn said, a little tartly.

"No need to be so snappy, princess," Logan sneered.

"I'd be snappy if you were the first person I met in the morning," Jack said, wandering into the kitchen, yawning widely.

* * *

Logan looked over at Jack as she headed straight for the biscuit cupboard. He didn't know how any girl who ate chocolate digestives for breakfast could remain as skinny as Jack, but then she was from another planet. 

She was wearing her pyjamas with a dressing gown, much like Robyn was, but Jack in her jammies wasn't a particularly enjoyable sight, not like Robyn. Personally Logan didn't see what Warren saw in the scrawny little stick insect.

"Chocolate biscuit?" Jack offered to Robyn.

"For breakfast?" the older woman asked.

"I guess that's a no," Jack said with a grin.

She reached into the fridge and handed Robyn the milk for her tea, while rifling through for some orange juice.

"Hope you're not suffering too badly with jet lag or anything," Jack said to Robyn.

"I don't think so," Robyn said, "I don't feel tired, a little disorientated, but not tired."

"Disorientation can be solved fairly easily," Jack said, "I'll show you round later."

"Jack you've got work," Warren said, walking into the kitchen, his hair and feathers ruffled, his eyes still droopy with sleep.

"Oh yeah," Jack said, grinning stupidly, "Maybe not then."

"For the girl who claims to have such a good memory you are forgetful," Warren said.

"Hey, I could remember the meaning of every word in the Spanish language in less than a week, I'm just not so hot on what day it is," Jack said, "Will you show Robyn around instead then, Warren?"

"Sure, no problem," he said, smiling over at Robyn, who was sipping at her tea.

"Thanks," she said, putting her mug down on the side, "This place is huge, it will take me ages to get used to it on my own."

"Hmmm, I better go and get dressed," Jack said, scoffing the last of her chocolate biscuit and draining her orange.

She left the room, leaving only Warren, Robyn and Logan. Logan decided it was time he left as well and followed her out after the briefest of nods to Warren.

* * *

"Is he always that grumpy?" Robyn asked Warren once Logan had gone. 

"He's a man of few words," Warren said.

"That's just being polite," Robyn said with a grin.

"He's alright," Warren said neutrally, "it's just common knowledge that the only student he really liked was Marie, and she's left now. None of the others really have the ability to bring out the softer side to him. Kitty and Jubilee come close sometimes, but…"

"How did a guy like that end up in a school full of kids?" Robyn asked.

"I don't know the full story, I'm only a recent addition to the team," Warren said, "but Charles Xavier wasn't one to turn anyone away he thought he could help."

_Charles Xavier…_ Robyn was sure she knew that name. Come to think of it, she was fairly sure she had heard the name Warren Worthington before, but she couldn't quite place it in her memory.

Just as the silence was beginning to get awkward, Jack burst back into the room, now fully dressed and ready for a day at work.

"Gotta go," she said, "Hank's waiting for me outside in the car."

"See you later," Warren said, standing up and giving her a brief kiss.

"See you Robyn!" Jack said cheerily, before skipping back out of the room again to catch her ride with Hank.

"Where does she work?" Robyn asked.

"She's an interpreter for the Government," Warren said.

"That's high profile," Robyn said, "I always tried to keep my head down at work."

"Given that she has the ability to learn entire languages in a few days, it's a fairly ideal job for her, and Jack's not one to keep her head down."

"Does anyone here?" Robyn asked, "You live in a mansion with the secretary of Mutant affairs, who I've never seen, but my friend Cherie insists is big and blue."

"Well, he is that," Warren said with a laugh, "But we don't have to worry too much about keeping our heads down as the whole school is under the protection of the government, by order of the President himself. As long as we don't do anything stupid we're safe."

"From Magneto included?" Robyn asked.

"Magneto is the only exception. He helped set up this place, so naturally he knows exactly what goes on here, not to mention the location and the layout of the place."

"He helped build it?"

"So I'm told," Warren said.

* * *

"Hey Jack, how was England?" Laure asked as Jack walked into the office. 

"Good," she replied, "Nice to see the place I'm supposed to be from at last!"

"I saw something about a fight in a restaurant on the news, that wasn't you was it chicken?" David asked, grinning at Jack's attempt to look innocent.

"Maybe…" she said.

"What did we tell you about behaving?" David said.

"Something that escaped my selective hearing," Jack said with a grin.

"I'd say!" Cathy said.

"Well, I didn't miss anything too exciting round here did I?" Jack asked.

"Hardly," Cathy said, "Just same old same old round here."

"Though you did get a letter," Laure said, waving a small envelope in the air, "looks like a very posh important one."

"Why would someone send me a letter here?" Jack asked, grabbing it out of Laure's hand. It was a posh envelope – the paper was expensive and had a gold leaf design around the edges.

"I dunno, maybe protecting your identity," Cathy suggested, "Send a letter to a Miss Starbright to your home address and you might get people asking questions, I mean, you do live at that school up in Westchester, it's a bit obvious. But send a letter to a Jack Starbright to your work address and no one is going to look twice at it."

"Ok, Miss Smarty-pants," David said in a sing song voice, poking Cathy in the arm, "Since when did you become an expert in identity protection?"

"Shut up David," Cathy said grinning, "What's the letter then, Jack?"

Jack opened the letter and threw aside the envelope, unfolding the equally posh paper inside. She scanned her small reading machine across the paper, listening to the melody of bleeps in on ear, grinning wider as the message played.

"Just an invitation to a swanky party over in San Fransisco," she said with a smug smile, "And it's my own invitation as well, so I get to take a plus one."

"Ooh, pick me!" David said with a grin.

"I can't pick you," Jack said, "Because that would be favouritism!"

"I wouldn't want to take you either," Cathy said, "You'd be horribly embarrassing."

"I would not!" David protested.

"You'd be commenting about people's clothes all evening," Laure pointed out.

"That's not embarrassing," David said, "It's not my fault if most guys have dreadful taste!"

Jack snorted with laughter, before quickly changing the subject before they settled into the continuous argument about clothes and fashion sense.

"It's not for a while yet anyway, I've got ages to decide," Jack said, "But I might take Robyn. She's new and would probably like a night out, a chance to get to know some people."

"New as in new student or new teacher?" Laure asked.

"Neither," Jack said, "She was the woman Magneto was after in England, we rescued her and are keeping her safe for the time being."

"That sucks," Cathy commented.

"Exactly," Jack said, "She might appreciate a party."

"Whose party is it anyway?" David asked.

"Whose do you think, you idiot!" Cathy said, rolling her eyes at David, who replied by sticking out his tongue at her.

"So I take it you and Mr. Rich Handsome and Charming are still together," Laure said with a smile.

"It's only been three months, you say that like it's been years!" Jack said with a grin.

"You still happy? Doing well?" David asked excitedly.

Jack rolled her eyes at her friends and their nosey enthusiasm.

"Yes…" she said to Cathy and David's delighted squeals and Laure's rather more reserved smile.

* * *

True to his word to Jack, Warren gave Robyn a tour round the school. She found him to be exceptionally patient. It must have been boring for him, showing her round the same corridors until she felt confident that she knew where everything was. It took a long time, given the size of the mansion, but he didn't complain once, and dismissed her apologies saying it wasn't a problem. 

"I don't have any lessons this afternoon, and with Jack at work I don't have much else to do," Warren said, "I appreciate the company."

Once the tour was done, Warren asked her to take him to her favourite place in the mansion and said they could sit there for a while, and while the afternoon away. Robyn was touched that he let her lead the way, rather than just asking her where she wanted to go and letting her follow him. It was small gestures like this that she really appreciated. People treating her like an equal rather than someone who ought to be pitied. Yes she had a disability, but she could work around it, it didn't rule her life, or make her any different to the next person most of the time.

She took him to a spot in the gardens where there were a couple of benches. It was quite secluded and peaceful, away from the hustle and bustle of the mansion, which was why Robyn liked it.

"Jack likes it here as well," Warren commented as he sat down on one of the benches.

"It's peaceful," Robyn said, "There aren't many places that are here."

"Tell me about it," Warren laughed.

"So what do you teach?" Robyn asked conversationally.

"I don't think 'teach' is exactly the word for it," Warren said, "I was only supposed to be filling in until they got someone better, but they never did, not so far anyway. I take the English Lit classes."

"I hope Ororo doesn't plan to make me teach for the privilege of staying here…" Robyn said, "I would be a lousy teacher."

"I don't think Storm had any plans of the sort," Warren said with a smile, "Though if you even so much as contemplate volunteering she will jump on you and never let you leave, so be careful what you say!"

"Thanks for the warning, but I don't think I'll even think about contemplating it," Robyn said with a wry smile.

* * *

please review! Xx 


	6. Missing

Hey guys! Just a slight fluff warning for this one... I was missing my boyfriend and feeling in a particularly romantic wistful mood lol.

Thanks for the reviews as always, and Mils you never have a clue what is going on so don't give me for once lol. And I hope you've sorted out the ipod problem with Apple! (sorry.. Mils is my sister and she's a bit dense so I'm reminding her just about everywhere that she needs to phone Apple. Not living at home I can't just tell her and I'm not wasting credit phoning her!)

Anyway, back on track - here's chapter 6, hope you enjoy it, please leave a review!

* * *

Cherie stood in Zeera's tapping her pencil at an increasingly fast speed against one of the work surfaces. Robyn was late, and Robyn was never late.

"Cherie stop tapping that damn pencil, you're driving me up the wall," Janice said irritably.

"Robyn's late," Cherie said, putting the pencil down, still watching the door for any sign of her friend.

"She's probably just been delayed by something," Janice said, but she sounded a bit anxious.

"Maybe," Cherie said, but she didn't think so.

When half an hour passed and there was still no sign of Robyn, Cherie called her at home. There was no answer so she left a message, feeling all the more uneasy. Cherie couldn't do anything until she finished her shift, but Janice let her go early in the end, because she was worried too.

Cherie went home briefly first to check if Robyn had left her any messages on her machine. The electronic woman saying 'you have no new messages' had never sounded so sinister before.

Not even bothering to change, Cherie left her house and practically ran all the way to Robyn's, grabbing the spare key Robyn had given her in case of emergencies on the way out.

When she got to Robyn's flat she was in such a blind hurry she didn't notice someone else walking in the corridor and ploughed straight into them.

"Ouch!" she muttered as she collapsed to the floor in a heap, then realising what had happened, she put her hand to her mouth and babbled, "Oh my God, I'm so sorry! I was in a hurry, I wasn't looking where I was going, sorry!"

She looked up at whoever it was she had bumped into and was surprised to feel a jolt of recognition. It must have shown on her face, because he raised an eyebrow questioningly at her.

"Mark the hot geek, right?" Cherie said, pointing at him from her place on the floor.

"Well, my name is Mark," he said, a hint of a northern accent in his voice.

"Mark the one with the nice voice and a slight northern accent," Cherie said, nodding to herself, "I'm Cherie, Robyn's friend."

She held out her hand and he took it, shaking it slightly, and pulling her to her feet.

"Nice to meet you," Mark said, a little bemusement creeping into his voice.

"Have you seen Robyn at all today?" she asked.

"No," he said, "I left a message on her machine but she never got back to me, so I came over on the off chance that she might not be busy, but there was no answer when I knocked on the door."

"She didn't turn up for work today," Cherie said, "I've known Robyn for ages, and that's not like her. She would always phone if there was something wrong, some reason why she couldn't make it."

"Have you got a spare key for the door?" Mark asked, worry starting to register in his eyes.

Cherie thought briefly that it was sweet. This guy clearly cared a lot about her friend. Cherie had seen him before, but she had never spoken to him. She decided that when she saw Robyn next she would let her know she thoroughly approved.

Pushing such trivial thoughts out of her mind, Cherie reached into her pocket and pulled out the spare key. She walked over to the door, knocked on it loudly once more, just in case, calling out her friend's name through the woodwork. When she got no answer she put the key in the door and unlocked it.

The flat was empty and clinically tidy as ever. Nothing was out of place, there was no sign of anything out of the ordinary. Mark had a look around, feeling a bit awkward as he had never actually been in Robyn's apartment before, only to the door. Cherie had a brief look around, but went straight for the phone. She hit the message playback button.

"_You have four new messages,_" the machine said then clicked as it went on to play the first message.

"_Hi Rob,_" Cherie's voice played out of the machine, "_Guess you haven't made it home yet. Just forgot to mention at work that I had plans to go out for a drink tomorrow evening. It's my sister's birthday and she's getting a load of friends together for a bit of a pub crawl, and we're invited. If you had other plans don't worry about it, just thought I'd let you know. Tell me either way at work tomorrow as I'm going to have a nice long bath then watch a movie coz I'm exhausted. Tra!_"

There was a click and the machine went on to play the next message but Cherie shut it off.

"She never made it home last night," Cherie said, "One of the first things Robyn does every morning is to check her messages. It's part of her routine. I recorded that message last night. If she never listened to it, that means she was never here last night or this morning."

"But where would she go?" Mark asked.

"I don't know," Cherie answered, "But I think we ought to go to the police."

* * *

"What's the occasion?" Jack asked when she got back from work, shoving the invitation she had received at Warren.

Warren took it and scanned his eyes across the elaborate invitation.

"There isn't one," he said, "my Dad just likes to throw parties."

"Did you get invited, or do you have to be my plus one?" Jack asked with a mischievous grin.

"What do you mean did I get invited?" Warren replied, pushing her affectionately, "I'm invited by default. My Dad rang me earlier and told me about it. He said he'd sent you an invitation so you could invite a friend. He didn't want me and him to be the only people you knew there."

"Never bothered me before," Jack said.

"That's exactly what I said you would say," Warren said, grinning down at her.

"I'm going to have to get another dress…" she said, just the slightest hint of annoyance in her voice.

"I'll let you borrow my credit card," Warren said then suddenly frowned, "I never got that back off you."

"Kitty had it last," Jack said.

"I'll never see it again," Warren said.

* * *

Storm caught up with Robyn later in the day when all her classes were done.

"I hope you've been comfortable today," Storm said, "I'm sorry for being neglectful, I've had classes all day."

"It's fine," Robyn said, "Warren kept me company. He said you were often very busy."

"Well, I am, but that's not to say that I can't find the time to make your stay with us as tolerable as possible," Storm said, "I know it's probably the last place you want to be right now."

"Actually," Robyn said, thinking of Jack, Warren and Jimmy, "It's not so bad."

"Well, if there is anything I can do, just let me know," Storm said.

"I will do, but apart from needing a change of clothes, I'm fine," Robyn said.

"Clothes is no problem, I'll get resident shopaholic Kitty Pryde on the task," Storm said, "She'll be ready to leave in about fifteen minutes, I'll send Jack with you as well, to make sure Kitty doesn't get too carried away. That girl can be hard work when it comes to shopping!"

* * *

Jack was just sat with Warren on one of the sofas in the living room when Kitty grabbed her by the arm and dragged her right through it.

"Kitty!" Jack said as she became solid and stumbled on her feet, "What are you doing?"

"We're going shopping!" Kitty sang, grinning widely.

"It's at times like this when I really wish Rogue was still around to be your shopping partner," Jack grumbled, begrudgingly following Kitty out of the mansion.

* * *

Some hours later, Warren's quiet evening reading a book in his room was interrupted by Jack walking in and collapsing diagonally across his bed, her feet in his lap.

"Kitty wears me out," she said, staring up at the ceiling.

"I take it the shopping trip was a success?" Warren asked, putting his book down on his bedside cabinet.

"If the aim was to kill me, then yes, mission success," Jack said with a grin.

"Well, as wonderful as your feet are, you don't think you could manage to muster up the energy to turn round, could you?" Warren asked, pushing her feet sideways away from him.

Jack groaned, but moved so she was lying down on the bed in a more traditional manner. Warren lay on his side and affectionately brushed his hand over her flyaway hair, smoothing it and tucking it out of her face. Jack closed her eyes, smiling in a contented way.

"You're beautiful," he said.

Jack opened one eye and looked up at him.

"No I'm not," she said.

"You are to me," Warren told her, kissing her forehead.

"I'm glad about that," she said, sitting up a little on her elbow so her head was more on a level with his.

Warren took the hint and kissed her properly. Kissing, he thought in a strange moment of complete detachment, was a strange practise. Who ever first though to put their mouth on someone else's as a display of affection?

As Jack settled herself against him, running her fingers through his hair, then gently caressing his wing in a way that made him shiver, Warren thought back to his first kiss. He had been twelve, around the time his wings had first started to grow, and the girl sharing the moment was Rosie Griffiths, a pretty but shallow girl he sat next to in science and history.

Warren had been popular back then. He was the richest kid in school, and that gave him a certain status among his peers that required no work or personality to attain. He was just cool, no question. With this status came a group of followers who all wanted to be his best friend, and of course plenty of girls interested in him.

Back then he had been less interested in girls than he had been in doing extra homework, but it was the sense of curiosity (all the older boys did stuff with girls) that led him with Rosie to a bench somewhere in a park near their school.

After that first bit of experimenting (and deciding that he could see why all the older kids did stuff like this) Warren never really experimented again. Not with his school peers anyway. There was an odd moment of weakness when he really hoped a girl would be able to look past the two enormous wings that were growing out of his back, but though he had plucked up the courage to kiss them, he had frozen as soon as their hands started to wander, terrified that they might learn his secret and not like it.

With Jack none of that was a worry. She knew exactly who he was, wings, riches and all, and he had never been happier with anyone than he was with her.

"What are you thinking about?" Jack asked.

"A girl I used to know, Rosie Griffiths," Warren answered truthfully, aware of how it sounded. Jack grinned.

"Do you always think about other girls while kissing me?" she asked, a teasing tone to her voice.

"I don't know," Warren said, "Shall I kiss you again and find out?"

"Go ahead," Jack said with a laugh as Warren grabbed her and kissed her thoroughly, making sure there was no room in his thoughts for anyone other than her.

* * *

Cherie sat in the police station with Mark, explaining the situation to the officer, who looked fairly bored but was diligently taking down notes. It was only when Cherie mentioned the trouble in the restaurant with possible Mutants that she lost him. She knew in his face as soon as the word Mutant came out of her mouth that he thought she was some sort of trouble maker, stirring things up in a politically charged time when the police really couldn't use it.

"You never mentioned that part of the story before we got here," Mark said, sitting next to her on the step outside.

"It never occurred to me that it might be related until just then," Cherie said, "But thinking about it, she really annoyed that kid putting out the candles like she did."

"Do you know who any of them were?" Mark asked.

"They were all American, except maybe one who didn't have any accent I recognised," Cherie said, thinking about the messy haired girl who had stuffed money in Robyn's hand on her way out, the one who couldn't walk through tables.

"We're at a dead end then," Mark said, "the police are clearly not going to help us."

"Well, our story is a little on the unbelievable side," Cherie said, digging her hands into her coat pocket, feeling something she didn't expect there.

"You said the fire guy said he was looking for someone?" Mark asked, "You don't think he was looking for Robyn do you?"

Cherie thought about this. Robyn certainly knew a lot about Mutants, maybe enough for some kind of human hating Mutant terrorist to consider her dangerous, but Cherie really didn't think so. Which left the possibility that Robyn herself was a Mutant.

Cherie liked to think that her friend would have told her something like that, that she wouldn't have been afraid, that she knew Cherie well enough to know it wouldn't have made a difference.

Part of her knew, however, that if it had been her that was the Mutant, there was no way she would have told anyone, even Robyn. You just didn't tell people things like that. Not if you didn't want to lose all your friends and have an angry mob show up at your door. The situation was changing in America, and it was changing in England too, but it was far from a good time to be a Mutant.

Cherie broke off from her thoughts as she pulled the alien object from her pocket. It was a credit card – the one left by the messy haired Mutant girl. Jack she had said her name was, and fire boy had called her Starbright. Jack Starbright, that had to be a fake name, Cherie thought. The card in her hand belonged to a W. Worthington, and it didn't look fake, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. Still, it was a starting point.

"There's one way to find out," she said to Mark, hauling herself off the steps and walking back towards her house.

* * *

Please review! Xx 


	7. America's Own Superheroes

Hey there everyone! Just as a warning this is likely to be the last update for a while - I have a huge amount of work to do in November and won't have much time to dedicate to writing this. I will continue updating, you might just have to wait a few weeks. Really sorry about that!

Thanks for all the reviews, they made me smile when I was feeling crappy with the old 'Fresher's Flu' :) hope you enjoy this new chapter.

(and yeah, I know there isn't much action going on at the mo, I'm still kinda setting the scene. It picks up again in the next couple of chapters with some fighting badguys and stuffs lol)

* * *

Robyn walked into the living room and sat in the corner with a book that Dr McCoy had got for her, written in Braille. Also in the room were Jack and Kitty, a boy – Iceman she thought, Bobby – and another boy, Peter perhaps.

People often asked her how she knew who was who in a room, when she couldn't see them. She didn't even require hearing their voices most of the time. She just knew. Robyn had tried to describe it to Cherie once.

"It's like each person has an aura, and that's what I recognise," she said as they sat in a café back home, watching the world go by.

"What like a smell?" Cherie asked, drinking her coffee.

"With some people yeah," Robyn said, "But it's more of a feeling."

"So everyone has their own unique feel?" Cherie asked, then laughed, "God, anyone listening to this is going to think we are a couple of perverts."

"Yes," Robyn said with a grin, "they probably do, but it serves them right for eavesdropping."

Cherie laughed, draining the last of her coffee.

"So how do the people in the room feel right now?" she asked.

"By 'people' do you mean 'guys'?" Robyn asked dryly.

"Well, yes," Cherie admitted.

Robyn tilted her head as though considering it.

"That guy in the corner, by the gum ball machine, he has a nice feel," Robyn said, indulging her friend.

Cherie turned to take a look and nodded appreciatively.

"He's hot," she said, "a bit of a geek, but hot."

Robyn shook her head in a motion that her friends knew was her equivalent of rolling her eyes, then got up.

"I'm going to get another coffee, want one?" she asked.

"Yeah please," Cherie said, rooting through her bag for her money.

"I'll get it," Robyn said, walking off before Cherie could even find her purse.

She walked up to counter. She knew this café well, and so did the people who worked there. It was her and Cherie's favourite haunt for afternoon coffee and a cake.

"Same as last time Robyn?" Susan, the waitress serving her asked.

"We're very boring aren't we?" Robyn said with a grin.

"Yep!" Susan said with a laugh, setting the machines to make the coffees, then leaning on the counter in front of Robyn, "You know that guy in the corner has been making eyes at you the entire time you've been in here."

"You'll have to be more specific," Robyn said, "There are four corners and twice as many guys."

"By the gumball machine," Susan clarified, stepping away from the counter to grab the now finished coffees.

"Then as Cherie said he was hot and you think he's been making eyes at me, perhaps I should go and talk to him," Robyn said, handing her the money for the drinks.

"No way! You wouldn't just go up to a random stranger like that?" Susan giggled.

"Why not," Robyn said, "If he's cute and interested why wait for him to make the move?"

"You're my idol, Robyn, I wish I was as crazy and brave as you!" Susan laughed, handing her the change.

Robyn laughed with her, then picked up the drinks, walking back over to Cherie.

"That guy is so watching you," Cherie said with a slight giggle.

"So Susan said," Robyn said, sitting down.

"You should go talk to him," Cherie said.

"I was planning to," Robyn said, "If only to ask him why he's watching me."

"Because he _likes_ you," Cherie sang.

"What is it about guys that makes you revert back to a fifteen year old?" Robyn questioned with a laugh, "and it's more likely because he thinks we're a pair of perverts."

"That is a possibility," Cherie said.

A little while later, in response to much goading from Cherie, Robyn went over to the guy by the gumball machine. He had a friend or two with him, so she waited until he was on his own to save him the embarrassment.

"You know, I may not be able to see, but I have two very reliable sources telling me you've been watching me since I got in here," she said, smiling dryly.

He laughed in an endearingly shy manner and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"Sorry," he said.

"I might forgive you if you tell me why," Robyn said.

"Well, I'm not normally in the habit of staring at people, but something about you intrigued me," he admitted.

His voice had a nice tone, and a slight northern accent.

"In a good or bad way?" Robyn asked.

"Good," he replied, "very definitely good."

"Well in that case may I have your name?"

"It's Mark…"

* * *

"What are you reading?" Jack's voice snapped Robyn out of her reverie. 

"It's Pride and Prejudice," she answered, "I've read it before, but there is only a limited supply of Braille books in this place."

"So those dots make letters?" Jack asked.

"Yes, each letter has a different pattern," Robyn explained.

"Very clever," Jack said.

She reached out her hand and brushed it over the page.

"How can you tell them apart, it all feels the same to me," she said.

"Practise," Robyn replied.

"We were just thinking of watching a movie, I dunno if you would find that at all fun, but you are welcome to join us if you want," Jack said.

"What are you watching?" Robyn asked.

"I dunno," Jack said, "Bobby is picking, so probably some sci-fi rubbish, but it will be a laugh anyway."

"Are you sure your friends don't mind if I join you?"

"Why would they?" Jack questioned.

"Well, I am a lot older than you lot…" Robyn said, not wanting to ruin their teenage fun.

"No way, how old are you? Twenty two, twenty three?"

"Twenty seven," Robyn said dryly, "A little bit older than nineteen."

"Doesn't matter anyway," Jack insisted, "come on, they'll get started without us!"

Robyn closed the book and stood up, following Jack into a separate part of the mansion where they could watch TV without being interrupted by other kids.

"What trash has he picked out for us then?" Jack asked, practically jumping into a big armchair. Robyn sat next to her a little more reservedly.

"Some sci-fi rubbish, just like we said he would," Kitty answered, "Just watch it anyway."

"I was planning to."

* * *

Bobby had undergone quite a change in personality since Rogue had left. He was no longer the shy, well meaning boy he had been, but a cocky, cheeky boy who could always be relied on to do the things that no one else dared to. 

He wasn't horrible – everyone loved him just as much as before, some even more, but Rogue wouldn't have recognised him. A lot of people thought it was his way of dealing with Rogue going away – becoming flirtatious and a bit of a poser – but as it was a fairly nice way of dealing with it (better than wallowing in grief anyway) no one questioned him about it, and just got to know the new Bobby.

His increase in confidence had made him something of a spokesperson for the younger X-men. He often did interviews (particularly for girl's magazines!) and put a lot of energy into being a positive role model to the masses. Some of the X-men, Kitty in particular, worried that it was all just a cover up for a deeper hurt, but he seemed happy enough.

"It's not sci-fi rubbish!" he protested to Kitty, "It's a parody of American culture."

"With aliens?" Kitty said.

"Yes…" Bobby admitted, prompting a wide grin from both Kitty and Jack.

"Has it got anyone hot in it?" Kitty asked.

"If you count Jack Black as hot," Bobby said with a grin.

"Eww, gross," Kitty said, "I'll just make out with Peter instead.

"Eww, gross," Bobby mimicked, though Peter looked quite happy with Kitty's alternative to movie watching.

"What movie are we watching anyway?" Jack asked.

"Mars Attacks," Bobby told her.

"A parody of American culture? Right…" Jack said, laughing.

* * *

"It's probably fake," Mark said, turning the credit card over in his hand. 

It was a fancy one – the kind that belonged to a person with a lot of money. Platinum card, big credit limit, the works.

"But there is a small chance that it might not be," Cherie said, "And we have to hope that luck is in our favour on that one, because we haven't got anything else to go on."

She was booting up her cranky old computer, hoping a quick search on the internet would get them on the next stage of their journey.

"You said the girls were called Jack and Kitty right? The name on the booking was Pryde, the card belongs to a Mr. Worthington, and the other guy called them Starbright and Shadowcat. There is no way we are going to find them…"

"Don't be so negative," Cherie said, loading google, and first searching 'Starbright and Shadowcat'.

It pulled up dozens of pages, so she clicked on the first.

"X-girls Starbright and Shadowcat in Illinois endorsing haircare products. All money earned from such endorsements and interviews is donated to charities such as Amnesty International…" Cherie read the caption underneath a picture of Jack and Kitty messing around with hairspray.

They looked so different most wouldn't have recognised them. Kitty had done something punky with her hair, including an alice-band with little cat ears, and had styled her makeup to make her look more cat-like, while Jack had really gone all out with the messy hair, letting it fall loose about her shoulders, making her look like some kind of barbarian/cavewoman. Both were wearing leather suits.

Cherie clicked back and went onto the next page. It showed something similar, except rather than messing around Jack and Kitty appeared to be rescuing someone from a collapsed building. The photographer had caught Kitty still halfway through the rubble.

"Shadowcat 'phasing' victims to safety as Starbright helps prevent further collapse," Cherie read.

Jack appeared to have some sort of energy shooting out of her hands that was holding a precariously balanced beam in place as other people hurried to safety.

"America's own superheroes, in Zeera's?" Mark asked.

"I'm beginning to wonder what Robyn gets up to in her spare time," Cherie muttered, going back to Google and searching W. Worthington.

"Worthington Industries," she said, clicking on the first link.

"This is crazy," Mark said with a laugh, "it can't possibly be anything to do with that."

"Why not?" Cherie asked, scrolling through the pages.

"Because," Mark said, shaking his head, "Worthington Industries is huge – it's a multi-billion company. It also happens to be the company that invented the Cure. Do you think these guys are going to want to associate with the company that invented the Cure?"

"You and Robyn are a match made in heaven," Cherie said.

"Why?" Mark asked.

"Because you're both irritatingly knowledgeable about random things," Cherie answered, opening another Google search in a separate window. This time she searched X-men.

"I want to find her too," Mark said, "But I think we're on to a dead end here. Maybe we should go back to the police…"

"Dead end, huh?" Cherie asked, turning the computer to face Mark.

On screen were the two separate windows, each showing a photograph of Dr. McCoy, Secretary for Mutant Affairs. On one page he was shaking hands with Warren Worthington II, opening a new lab designed to further research into the Mutant Genome, on the other he was stood in front of a group of people, next to a woman with stunning white hair. Barely visible in the background of the second picture were Jack and Kitty.

* * *

Robyn didn't really get a lot of the film. She could hear a lot of stupid noises, people firing guns and some truly awful music that apparently the aliens didn't respond to too well either. It was a good couple of hours though, she had a great time with the kids (despite the fact that she thought of them as kids) finding them to be great company. And the film did turn out to be a parody of American culture, after all. 

"That music was terrible!" Kitty said, "Though I can imagine my gran would listen to something like that."

Jack then went on to imitate the warbling song with incredible accuracy.

"Oh shut up!" Kitty said, poking her friend on the arm.

"Show off!" Bobby said.

"Oh like you can talk, Robert Drake, you are the biggest show off I know!" Jack retorted.

"If you've got it, flaunt it, as they say," Bobby said, smoothing his hair back and looking smug, before bursting out laughing, unable to keep up the act any longer.

Bobby, Kitty and Peter skipped off through the hallways, but Jack hung back.

"Sorry about inflicting their company on you," she said with a slight laugh, "I just thought you'd probably appreciate something to do."

"I had fun," Robyn said honestly.

"I'm glad," Jack said, "If you ever get bored around here, you can always come to us and we'll think of something to do."

"I don't want to get in anyone's way," Robyn said.

"Don't be stupid," Jack said, "We've dragged you here, or rather, Magneto has, and that's not very fair on you, so whatever we can do to make it better, just ask!"

"I don't need much to keep me occupied, though a radio would be nice, and if someone wouldn't mind setting it for me – that way I know what time it is when I wake up," Robyn said.

"Consider it done," Jack said, "Though I can't actually use alarm clocks so I'll have to get someone else to do it for you."

"You can't use an alarm clock?"

"I have a bit of a problem with numbers," she said, "I probably could do it, but someone else could do it a lot quicker. Hey Jimmy!"

Robyn turned in the direction Jack was shouting. She could sense Jimmy sat in the corner, much like he was the first time she met him. He put something down, a book Robyn thought, and came to join them.

"Do us a favour and help me find Robyn an alarm clock would you?" Jack asked.

"Which means you want me to work it for you," Jimmy said with a wide grin.

"Something like that, yeah," Jack said.

* * *

Please review! xX Xx 


	8. Faithful Friends

Hello everyone. I know I havent updated in probably over a year, but the pressure of doing all my work for uni has left very little time for this. But, I have a long summer ahead of me, and am going to try and finish up all my projects as best I can so I have a clean writing slate, as it were, to start with in October!!

Hopefully there are still a few people out there who want to read this, and if not, hopefully some new people will read it!

Anyway, I apologise for the long break, and will try and round this off as soon as possible. Don't worry, I won't be rushing just to get it done - I'll give it the attention it deserves!!

Robyn woke to the alarm clock, and like almost every morning since she had arrived at Xavier's school for the gifted, she panicked slightly wondering where she was. Once the panic passed, she berated herself. It had been two weeks now, she should be used to it.

Two weeks had gone surprisingly quickly, once she had settled in to the swing of the mansion life. In that time the X-men had been called out to many emergencies – fires, earthquakes and other disasters, natural or man-made. Robyn always came along for these trips, but stayed hidden in the X-jet. Storm didn't want her staying at home alone in case Magneto took advantage.

Robyn had proved in many a danger room session that she was perfectly capable of defending herself, but she knew as well as everyone else that there was no way she could take on the whole Brotherhood. Though it did give her a large amount of satisfaction that she could at least take on (and down) Logan.

"You can't even get close to the damn woman," he growled to Nightcrawler as they trained in the danger room, "She's as annoying as Jack."

"You are just going about it the wrong way!" Nightcrawler taunted, "If we work as a team we can get her."

"Yeah right, what are you gonna do to help? You're nothing but a show off acrobat!"

Kurt gave him a look which said 'watch and learn'.

He teleported behind Robyn, knowing that she would sense him there and lash out. He immediately teleported somewhere else, a little closer this time, before the smoke could knock him back. Again he teleported instantly as she turned to attack him in his new position, getting closer still. He repeated this until he was practically next to her.

He appeared right in front of her, pausing long enough to allow Robyn to hit him. She smirked triumphantly, but the next thing she knew there was a cold touch of metal claws against her throat.

"You're dead," Logan said.

"I guess you were the brains behind that particular move," Robyn said to Kurt as they walked back to the regular part of the mansion.

"What makes you think that?" Kurt asked, all innocence.

"Well, Logan is more of a 'charge first, think later' kind of guy," she said.

Of all the adults in the mansion, Kurt was the one Robyn got on best with. He was a sensitive soul, kind and considerate, mostly shy but occasionally outspoken when the need arose. Robyn liked that about him, and she also admired his continued faith to a God most would have thought had forsaken them in Kurt's position. Robyn didn't really have any faith, other than a general belief that there had to be something bigger out there. She also admired that he didn't try to change that about her.

"Everyone is entitled to their own belief," he had said to her.

This morning she thought she might spend a bit of time with him that didn't involve trying to beat him up.

After grabbing a quick breakfast Robyn headed over to the mansion's makeshift chapel. It was just another room really, a large one, that had been done up to emulate the feel of a church. It was where Kurt could most often be found, outside of his classroom, but when she got there it wasn't Kurt she found, but Jack.

Robyn still wasn't quite sure what to make of Jack. She liked her fair enough – she liked everyone in the mansion except Logan – but there was something about her that made her seem out of place. It was something Robyn wasn't used to. Usually she could figure people out within a few minutes of talking to them, but Jack said things that were odd, and Robyn had trouble telling when she was being serious.

Jack was stood right at the front of the chapel, so Robyn sat at the back, not wanting to disturb whatever it was she was doing. After a minute or so she was joined by Kurt, who sat beside her.

"Good morning," he said quietly, so as not to disturb Jack.

"Morning," Robyn whispered back.

"What brings you here?"

"I was looking for you," Robyn said. "What is she doing?"

Robyn nodded to Jack, who as far as Robyn could tell had started some sort of dance.

"She is praying," Kurt said, an amused undertone in his voice. "Apparently the prayers of her people are much more physical than the thoughts we offer our Gods."

"She worships some other God, in this house of the Christian God?"

"She asked me if it was ok," Kurt said, that same amusement in his voice, "she thought her God would not be listening to this corner of the Universe, but that if mine was, perhaps he would pass on the message."

"She does say some odd things," Robyn said.

Kurt looked at her, and she could tell he was surprised by something.

"What?" she asked.

"Jack's from another planet, did she not mention that to you?"

While part of Robyn's mind was surprised, a much larger part thought, _Well that explains a lot…_

* * *

Storm sat in her office, thinking about Magneto. As much as she didn't like to dedicate one of her few moments of peace and quiet to thoughts on her enemy, she owed it to Robyn to try and think of a solution.

Two weeks had passed and Magneto had not made an attempt to kidnap Robyn from them. Storm didn't know how Robyn felt, but she was feeling fairly tense, waiting for him to make his move. She knew Magneto wasn't in the business of forcing people to fight for him – he preferred his volunteers willing. But he wasn't about to pass up on the opportunity to convert a powerful mutant. She was surprised he was leaving it this long.

Maybe, she thought, he was waiting for Robyn to get sick of the captivity in the mansion. Maybe he thought she would eventually turn to him. Maybe he knew he failed and wouldn't be able to get Robyn on side, but that wasn't really a chance Storm could take.

There was a knock on the door and Mystique walked in, taking a seat opposite her.

"You look ready to pull your own hair out," she said. "Magneto?"

"As always," Storm said. "I can never fathom what that man is planning."

"I dare say he'll let us know soon enough."

"I hate to ask, but you know him better than anyone else here," Storm began, cautiously as she could – she knew Magneto was something of a sore point for Mystique still, "do you have any idea what he might be up to?"

"No," Mystique shook her head. "But all this waiting, he must be planning something."

It was not a thought that settled easily on either woman.

* * *

Kurt took Robyn for a picnic, teleporting her to a nice spot by a river in the countryside somewhere. It was nice for them both to be out of the mansion. Though Xavier's school was the nicest place, when cooped up there all the time it did start to feel like a prison. Storm was reluctant to let Robyn go anywhere, but Kurt said he'd teleported them far enough away not to worry about Magneto, and even if he did show up, they could just teleport back.

"I miss being able to go where I want, when I want," Robyn said, stretching out across the picnic blanket.

"It must be difficult, being trapped in a foreign place."

"Storm has seen to it that it is as easy as it can be, but I miss home. I miss my friends."

"I could take you back there, if you like," Kurt offered.

"That's sweet of you, but I don't think it's a good idea," Robyn said.

Much as she missed Cherie and Mark, she didn't want her actions to put them in any danger.

"Two weeks I've been away," she said, "feels like a lifetime."

* * *

Robyn wasn't the only one who thought the last two weeks had been a lifetime. Cherie and Mark had gone to a different police station and reported Robyn missing, and they had started some sort of work to find her, but confessed almost straight away they didn't hold much hope. They figured Robyn being blind made her vulnerable, and the chances are she'd been attacked and killed.

Neither of them discussed this possibility, and neither of them really brought up the whole mutant thing again, but after two weeks and no word, Cherie decided it was time to consider their options.

"How serious are you, about Robyn?" she asked Mark over lunch. "I mean, I'm her best friend, I've known her for years, but you've only met up with her a couple of times. How far are you prepared to follow me?"

"Robyn is the most amazing woman I've ever met," Mark said, "and I'll follow you wherever you go if it helps find her."

"Good," Cherie said, "because I've never been to America before and I didn't fancy going on my own."

* * *

When Robyn returned to the mansion that afternoon she was almost immediately approached by Jack.

"Hi Robyn," Jack said. "Have fun on your picnic?"

"Yeah, it was nice," Robyn replied, smiling in the girl's general direction, trying not to dwell too much on what Kurt had said about her being an alien. For the first time in a long time she really wanted to be able to see. She was curious as to what Jack looked like, though she worked for the government so she couldn't be too far from Human. Robyn was amused to find herself a little disappointed by this – she had always imagined aliens to be made of slime and have lots of tentacles.

"Good to be out of the mansion huh?" Jack asked, snapping her out of her musings.

"Not to sound ungrateful for everything everyone here has done for me, but yes, it was," Robyn confessed.

"You know, Warren's Dad is throwing a party in a few days and I have a plus one invite – you fancy coming? Get you out of the mansion for a couple of days." Jack asked.

"I've never even met Warren's Dad, would he mind me being at his party?" Robyn asked.

"Course not," Jack said confidently, "And I've only met him a couple of times."

"You're also his son's girlfriend…" Robyn pointed out.

"Yeah, there is that," Jack said with a laugh, "Anyway, you should come – it will be fun. Magneto and me have this sort of thing, I don't think he'll attack, and I've already cleared it with Storm, she says it should be ok, as long as we're careful. Free food, and an excuse to get dressed up pretty, if you go for that sort of thing, which I don't to be honest – would rather go in my pyjamas than wear one of those stupid dresses."

Robyn could almost imagine the look of distaste on her face. She was about to say something when Logan walked in. The smile on her face faded as her expression changed to become something closer to Jack's. The only person in the mansion that Robyn didn't like was Logan, and she made no effort to keep this a secret.

"Afternoon, ladies," he said. "Enjoy your date with the elf?"

He said it with such sneer, like he couldn't understand why any woman would chose to go on a date with Kurt. It hadn't been a date, but Robyn would have picked Kurt over Logan for one any day.

"I had a really nice time," she said. "But it wasn't a date."

Just the thought of going on a date raised a sudden and intense longing to see Mark. Robyn tried to bury it, to not think about it, but a nagging part of her subconscious couldn't let go of the thought that he probably thought she was blowing him off and had given up on her. Of all the things she stood to lose because of Magneto, Mark was the one she would miss the most. At least Cherie would stand by her, ever the faithful friend that she was.

But as Logan grunted his disbelief and headed off to wherever he was going, that small voice in the back of Robyn's head started whispering.

_You're going to have to explain to Cherie where you've been. When you tell her you're a mutant, will she be so faithful then?_

Dunno if anyone out there is still reading this, but if you are, please leave me a review!! It would be nice to know I'm not wasting my time :D xxx


	9. Heatwave

Here is the next chapter for you. I am amazed how many people read the last one. Thanks so much for the reviews :)

Unfortunately my computer is on its last legs (well it would be if it had legs) and has to go back to the shop... I will update as soon as I can, but I am sans computer for a while. Last time it took them six weeks to fix it, but I'm hoping it wont take that long. Actually, I'm hoping they give me a new one lol, but that may be a bit wishful thinking on my part.

Hope you enjoy chapter nine! xx

It was an unusually sunny spring. A heatwave in April treated Westchester to temperatures more akin to August. Everyone in the mansion took full advantage. Classes were taken outside, and the school swimming pool was rarely empty.

Robyn enjoyed swimming. It was something she used to do with her mother, and the smell of chlorine always reminded her of when she was younger, helping her mother round the house, going out shopping or for a meal. The sense of smell was strongly associated with triggering memories, and for Robyn it certainly did.

It wasn't something she usually did, as it was difficult to navigate public swimming pools, but she loved being in the water. She particularly liked the sense of isolation you got when underwater. Being blind, Robyn's other senses were heightened – she could hear, feel and smell everything with much more clarity than the average human. Underwater, all that was cut back, and for a moment she felt serene and at peace.

Of course, that perfect moment of serenity and peace was hard to come by when teenagers kept running up to the pool and cannonballing in.

"Bobby!" Kitty shrieked as a particularly large splash was generated.

Robyn, who was sat on the edge of the pool with Storm, smiled as a water fight broke out between Bobby and Kitty. Storm actually laughed, which warmed Robyn's heart. The stern headmistress of the school always seemed too busy to enjoy herself. It seemed to have the same effect on Hank, who was sat on the other side of Storm.

"My dear, I'm glad to see the good weather has relaxed you some," he said with a grin.

"It's nothing to do with the weather," Storm said. "If I want sun I can make it happen. It's just nice to see all the children enjoying themselves."

"It would be nicer if they could do it in a way that doesn't involve us getting so wet!" Robyn laughed as another splash flew in their direction.

"Right!" Hank roared, "you lot keep splashing like that, and I'll show you a splash!"

Storm burst into fresh fits of laughter, a sound so contagious it wasn't long before everyone else was joining in.

* * *

It wasn't often Hank McCoy had the pleasure of seeing his dear friend Ororo so relaxed and happy. Sat in her bikini, basking in the sunshine, laughing and smiling as she talked to Robyn, she reminded Hank of a much younger Ororo – one who did not carry the weight of Charles' legacy on her shoulders.

The children too seemed to be happier too, as if the sunshine had made them forget temporarily that they were X-men and had each been through more things than most go through in a lifetime. Bobby was currently trying to hold Jack under the water, but unlike Kitty who had shrieked and struggled, Jack just let him, waving at him from under the water, pulling stupid faces. Bobby eventually freaked out at how long she had been under and let go of her completely, but Jack just swam around under water, eventually surfacing about two minutes later, not even gasping for breath.

"Jack that is completely unhuman," Bobby said.

"Well, that would be because I am completely unhuman," Jack said, in her usual blasé manner.

"Yup, you're a freak even by our standards!" Bobby teased.

"Hey! I resent that!" Jack retorted and grabbed him.

"What are you going to do, hold me under?" Bobby asked with a laugh.

"You forget, I'm stronger than you too!" Jack said with an evil grin and held him under.

Bobby did struggle, but he had nothing on Jack's wiry strength. Instead he turned the water freezing cold, which did make Jack shriek, and everyone hastily scrambled out of the pool while Bobby laughed his head off.

"I think that means it's our turn," Robyn said with a smile.

"As long as you don't mind the cold," Storm said.

"I'm from England, cold I can deal with," Robyn grinned and slipped into the water.

Hank wasn't too keen on swimming so he stayed where he was. Storm and Robyn managed five laps in peace before Kitty and Peter decided it was safe to return to the water.

* * *

Logan sat on the edge of the group, enjoying the high spirits in his own quiet way. He admired the view as Storm climbed out of the pool, but he was more interested in Robyn. She wasn't wearing her blacked out glasses today, probably because of the swimming. She had the darkest shade of blue eyes that Logan had ever seen, though they did unnerve him a little. There was something about the way they stared right through you that he didn't like. He guessed he wasn't the only one to think such thoughts, and that was why she wore her glasses.

Still, unnerving eyes or not, Logan couldn't deny the strong feelings of lust he experienced when Robyn followed Storm out of the water. The sight of her in her pyjamas had been pleasant, but in a bikini…

Logan hadn't really entertained serious thoughts about a woman since Jean had died at his hands. There had been the odd flirtation with barmaids and one or two occasions when he had been drunk, but nothing like the feelings Robyn was stirring in him now. Unfortunately she seemed to have taken a dislike to him. Not that this really bothered Logan. He liked a challenge.

As Robyn took her seat next to Storm and Hank, Logan sat back, lazing comfortably on the grass and let his mind wander, mostly around Robyn and her bikini.

* * *

While the X-men enjoyed the sun, someone else was sat inside, in an artificially lit room, pouring over some formulas. For months he had been analysing, interpreting and experimenting, and he was so close. Once his work was finished the world would be changed forever.

Mutants, and their powers. Some had their pretences of goodwill, but he knew they were all the same deep down. All a threat to the American people. To the world. But some threats could be valuable weapons. The arms race was no longer in Nuclear weapons, it was in mutants.

America had its team, the X-men. It wouldn't be long before other countries had their own. But though he had no doubt that the X-men were powerful, there was a problem. Mutants were useful as long as they were playing your game. What if the X-men decided they no longer wanted to play America's way? There was no force in the country that equalled them. The Government needed and insurance policy, something to make sure the X-men would always do as they were told.

Of course, not everyone agreed with this train of logic. That was why he was working in secret in some small, under supplied lab with bad facilities and no air conditioning, not some Government funded super lab. But his boss had some ideas on how to fix that. He had a few social events lined up that he hoped would lead to private endorsement. Even if it came to nothing, it didn't matter, because he was close now, so close. He knew it. A few more weeks and the face of mutant politics would be changed forever.

* * *

"Are you busy this afternoon, Ororo?" Robyn asked as they walked through the mansion a little later on.

"Not if I can help it, why?" Storm said.

"I think you know about this, as Jack said she'd cleared it with you, but she's invited me to some sort of party," Robyn said.

"Yes, she did mention it. I think it's safe enough. I doubt Magneto would try anything, but if he did both Jack and Warren will be there, and you've proved time and again you are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. You should go. The Worthingtons know how to throw a good party, or so I'm told by Hank."

"It's not Magneto I'm worried about," Robyn said. "I'm more concerned that I don't know any of the people going, not least the man throwing the party… I just wondered if you could get me a little up to speed with it all, as I don't think 'I live in a mansion for mutants with his son' is a particularly good answer to 'and how do you know Mr Worthington?' I would have asked Jack, but I thought the answer I'd get would be a bit…"

"Vague? Beside the point?" Storm laughed.

"Exactly," Robyn said.

"Well, I wouldn't worry too much about who you do and don't know. Jack is supposed to be British anyway, so just say you're an old friend of hers. That's probably a bigger claim to knowing the Worthingtons than most people there will have. I dare say most of the people there will be socialites and businessmen."

"Oh, so it's _that_ sort of party, right," Robyn said with a laugh. "There was me thinking it would be family members and close friends."

"No, nothing like that – more of a social event for rich people," Storm said.

"I'm not actually sure that makes me feel any better," Robyn grinned. "I can't imagine socialites will have much to say to a waitress."

"Just enjoy the food and drink and being away from this place for the weekend," Storm said.

"Believe me, I plan to," Robyn said. "Not that I don't like being here, because I do, but sometimes you have to go someplace else."

"I'm sorry, about keeping you here, really," Storm said.

"There's no need to be," Robyn said, "I actually really like being here. It's nice not having to pretend to be someone else. It's not often I say this of an unfamiliar place, but I feel safe here."

* * *

Mystique never thought she would particularly fit in with the X-men. It was something of a pleasant surprise to find she got on very well with Storm, once they had got past the initial awkwardness. Having to work together to represent the X-men had forced them into social situations together, and now they were pretty good friends.

So, when Storm approached her and asked if she would like to spend the rest of the afternoon shopping with her and Robyn, Mystique's first thought was not 'Oh hell no!' but rather, that it would be a lovely end to a lovely day.

The three women spent the afternoon in the city, away from the attentions of the teenagers. Not that any of them particularly disliked having Kitty, Jack and the others around, but indulging in some exclusively adult company was nice once in a while.

"You know, doing things like this almost makes me feel normal," Mystique said, perusing a line of dresses.

"I think it will take a little more than shopping to make me feel normal," Storm said.

"You should stop worrying about everyone else once in a while," Mystique said.

"Do I really worry that much?" Storm asked.

"Well," Robyn said, "I was thinking it, but was too polite to say."

All three women laughed, and Storm shook her head slightly embarrassed.

"Maybe I should have a vacation," she said.

"When all this is over, you can come and stay with me in England for a bit," Robyn said. "That will put an ocean between you and everything else."

"I might take you up on that offer," Storm said.

It took them about an hour to find a suitable outfit for Robyn. Of course, Robyn herself couldn't tell what it was they had dressed her in, but she trusted their taste. The shop assistant that helped them out certainly seemed to think Robyn looked good in the outfit.

As they queued up to pay, Robyn felt the eyes of someone on her. She turned her head to the source of the gaze – a young child, as far as she could tell. Robyn figured she was probably staring at her because of the blacked out glasses she was wearing, or the white cane she was carrying with her, more to make sure no one walked into her than to tell where she was going. With Storm and Mystique with her, she didn't really need to rely on her own sense of direction.

Robyn smiled at the child, then turned back to Storm and Mystique as they paid for the dress and made to leave. As they crossed the path of the child, it suddenly collapsed to the floor.

Storm saw the child go rigid and collapse and was instantly beside her mother, trying to help her. The woman clearly didn't want anyone anywhere near her prone daughter, and tried to bat Storm away, shielding the child with her arms and body.

"It's ok," Storm said. "I'm a teacher, trained in basic first aid. You need to get her into the recovery position. Raven, call an ambulance."

Mystique had already reached for her phone, but the child's eyes suddenly snapped open, glowing black. Both she and Storm frowned curiously, and Robyn, who felt the crowd that had gathered take a sudden step back, looked to her friends for an explanation.

"It won't be long now," the girl said, her voice sounding much more mature and deep than would be expected of a girl her age. "He is nearly finished. When he is done, the General will use his weapon to grow his army. He will take you first, and you will be a good soldier. You will take the life of one you hold dear to help his cause."

"Who is she talking about?" Mystique asked.

The girl raised her hand slowly, her finger pointing straight at Robyn. Both Storm and Mystique looked to their companion.

"She's talking about me?" Robyn said, more than a little fearfully.

Storm turned back to the girl. She was about to ask her a question when her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her arm fell limp at her side. She came back round very quickly, but her eyes were no longer black, and her demeanour was that of a confused child, as it should have been.

"Did it happen again, Mom?" she asked her mother.

"Yes, hon," the mother replied, holding her daughter close. She turned to Storm and said, "I'm sorry."

"No, it's ok," Storm said, though she glanced round anxiously at Robyn.

"I don't know what triggers it. Most of the time she's an ordinary little girl, but then someone walks into the room and she starts saying all these strange things. At first I thought it was nonsense, but then…"

"But then what?" Robyn asked.

The woman looked up at her, pity and fear in her eyes in equal measure.

"Then the things she said started coming true," she said.

"Has she ever been wrong?" Mystique asked.

"I'm so sorry," the woman said, shaking her head.

"I'm not a murderer, particularly not of people I like," Robyn said.

She was being snappy, but Storm could hear the fear in her voice.

"Come on," Mystique said. "Let's get out of here."

She linked her arm through Robyn's and they left the shop before the gathering crowd could say anything. Storm wrote down her number on a piece of paper and handed it to the woman, then followed them, trying not to feel nervous of Robyn.

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Please review xxx


	10. San Fransisco

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Hello again, my lovely readers. I have my computer back yay! And they've banned overtime at work which means I have loads of spare time on my hands. Not good in a sense coz I'm broke, but it does mean I have plenty of time to write this.

Hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks for you're continued reading and reviewing!

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Jack shuffled out of the taxi, then turned to help Robyn, guiding her to the pavement, away from the busy San Fransisco streets, as Warren and the driver took their luggage out of the boot.

"Welcome to Skyscraper Worthington," Jack said, looking up at the imposing building her boyfriend used to call home.

She had been once before, for a weekend, during which the older Worthington had spent ridiculous amounts of money on her, taking her to the theatre, music recitals and operas, and of course the meals out before and after, and all the appropriate clothes. Jack was not one for throwing money around, nor was she particularly impressed by big spenders – she had never had a penny in her life, and it had never bothered her before – but she had had a really good time.

"They live here?" Robyn asked, as she realised exactly how large and busy the place was.

"Yeah," Jack said. "And you thought the mansion was extravagant."

"Yup," Robyn said.

Jack grinned and linked arms with Robyn, before walking up to the entrance.

"Fine, leave me with all the bags ladies!" Warren called after them.

Jack looked over her shoulder at him and stuck out her tongue.

As they walked into the main foyer of the building, Robyn paused to orientate herself. Usually she was a pretty good judge of a room from the moment she walked in – how many people there were, roughly the size and shape. She could tell these things from the sounds. Larger rooms echoed more, and people, even if they weren't talking, had to breathe and that made sounds. But the scale of the room she was in now was almost completely overwhelming.

"You ok?" Jack asked.

"I'm fine," Robyn said, "just a bit, woah."

"It has that affect on me too," Jack said. "Sickeningly, Warren just looks at you with this blank expression because he can't understand why people don't think it's normal."

Robyn laughed at this as much as she doubted its truth. She found Warren to be an exceptionally empathetic person, and thought it very unlikely that he would fail to understand any person's feelings and thoughts.

"You should see my flat, it only has a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen," Robyn said.

"I've got one up on you still," Jack said. "Until I came to live at the mansion I never had a home. Not one that wasn't someone else's floor or spare room anyway."

"Here's to going up in the world," Robyn grinned.

* * *

Mr Worthington met them as they stepped out of the elevator into the penthouse.

"Jack, my dear, how are you?" he greeted her with a kiss to each cheek.

"Absolutely fabulous," Jack replied with a grin.

Warren greeted his father with a firm handshake, then introduced Robyn.

"Thank you, for inviting me in to your home," Robyn said as they shook hands. Jack was probably the only one who noticed the slight falter on the word 'home' and she laughed slightly. If either Worthington picked up on it, they didn't show any sign.

"It's always a pleasure to meet Jack's friends," Mr Worthington said, then pulled her a little closer and whispered in a conspiratorial way, "and as fond as I am of Katherine, it's especially nice to meet one that doesn't talk at a hundred miles an hour."

Robyn felt herself relax a little as she smiled. Mr Worthington quickly found people to take their bags, and after showing Robyn her room, he whisked them into what Robyn would have called a 'living room' if it hadn't been the size of her entire flat.

Jack, as unfazed as ever, sat herself on one of the large sofas and graciously accepted a drink, chatting to Mr Worthington about the latest escapades of the X-men. Warren brought Robyn over a tall glass of lemonade, knowing it to be her favourite from the many sunny days experienced at the mansion of late. Robyn smiled gratefully and took a seat herself. The nagging uneasiness she had felt since Jack had invited her to the party floated away with the conversation.

After a delicious meal in some expensive restaurant, Robyn was ready for bed. She was glad they had come a day early, for if the party had been that evening, she would probably have passed out in the middle of it.

As they walked back over to the elevator, Mr Worthington's phone rang.

"Apologies, ladies, I have to take this. I'm afraid business never stops around here," he said. "I'll see you in the morning."

As Jack and Warren fondly bid him goodnight, something twigged into place in Robyn's mind, and she remembered exactly where she had heard the name 'Warren Worthington' before.

She knew she knew the name from somewhere, but now her mind had placed it for her, she could hardly believe it. The man she had just eaten dinner with, and the man who had invented the Cure just couldn't be one and the same.

Jack walked with her back to the guest room.

"It has an ensuite bathroom, so you should have everything you need until the morning," she said. "But if you do need something, just knock on our door, any time, I'm a really light sleeper so it will definitely wake me up, and I don't mind, so don't feel bad about it or anything."

"I'm sure I'll be fine, but thanks anyway," Robyn said. "And thanks for inviting me along to this. It's been so nice to get out and about again."

"No problem," Jack said with a shrug, "I figured you needed to get out of the mansion for a bit more than anyone, and besides – I think Kitty would have been a bit embarrassing in a restaurant that posh!"

"I'm sure the pitch of her voice would have shattered glass when she saw the cost of that place," Robyn grinned.

"I know," Jack laughed. "I think the only reason mine didn't is because I have very little comprehension of how much you can expect to pay in a normal restaurant. But it terms of how much dinner cost relative to how much I get paid… Well, I'd only be able to eat once a month."

"I think I'd manage once a year," Robyn said.

"Well, if you're all set for the night, I'll leave you to it," Jack said, backing out of the room.

Robyn let her get all the way out of the door before she lost the fight with herself and called her back.

"Jack?"

Jack put her head round the door, but when she saw the look on Robyn's face, she entered the room completely and shut the door behind her, then took a seat next to her on the bed.

"You ok?"

Robyn tried to think of a delicate way to phrase the question, but everything in her head sounded far from it.

"Are Warren and his father the Worthingtons of Worthington Industries, that big pharmaceutical company?" She asked in the end.

"Yup," Jack said. "One and the same."

"The company that…" Robyn couldn't quite find the voice to finish the question.

"Invented the Cure?" Jack finished for her.

"Yes."

"It's ok," Jack said, "it's not a sore point. The Cure has done us a lot of favours, more good than bad at the latest tally, I think. And that's coming from me – it nearly killed me."

"How? I thought it was harmless, in a sense."

"Harmless to Humans and Mutants, of which I am neither," Jack said. "Magneto was trying to hit Warren with the cure, and missed. I don't really remember what happened after that, until I woke up nearly a week later."

"Ouch," Robyn said. "That must have been hard on Warren."

"Not as hard as what I went and did afterwards…" Jack said, more to herself than anyone else. Robyn didn't press her to explain.

"You know, I always feel such a long way from home," Robyn said when the silence got to her. "I miss it so much, my heart aches sometimes, but I'm only a thousand or so miles away. If the scale of heartache is relative to distance, I can't even begin to imagine how you must suffer sometimes."

"I used to, miss it that is," Jack said, "but I've made a new home for myself here. It's easier, I guess, because I had nothing before. No parents, no friends, no possessions. I come here and have a family handed to me on a plate – the best friends I could have asked for, a beautiful place to call home, someone who loves me. You've probably left all that behind to come and live in a madhouse with a bunch of kids."

Robyn laughed.

"I ran out of family when my Mother died," she said. "She was a musician – she played in a brass band, trumpet. She played in a lot of bars and restaurants, but back then they hadn't banned smoking in public places. I think it was worse because she played a wind instrument – breathing in all that smoke eventually got to her. I was sixteen when she died of lung cancer."

Robyn felt a wave of empathy from Jack. She didn't say 'I'm sorry' or 'how terrible' or some other words to that effect, but her silent understanding meant so much more to Robyn.

"Friends though," she continued, "I had a few of those."

"And someone who loved you?" Jack asked.

"Yes, well, no, not really. There was this guy, we went out once, but I had a good feeling about him, you know?"

"Yeah, I know."

"He probably thinks I'm giving him the cold shoulder," Robyn said. "I've wished so many times that I could just ring him and explain, then I realise how ludicrous it would sound to call him up and say 'Hi, sorry I've not seen you for nearly a month, but I was nearly abducted by a dangerous Mutant, and I've been hiding out in a mansion in America to protect you.'"

"You think that's bad," Jack said, laughing, "try 'Hi honey, just thought I ought to mention to you that I'm from another planet. Hope this doesn't affect how I hope you might feel about me.'"

Robyn felt the corners of her lips twitch, and before long Jack's infectious laughter had her laughing too, with more genuine mirth than she had felt in a long time.

"Well, things didn't turn out so bad for you, did they?" Robyn said when she had calmed down a bit. "Maybe there's hope for me yet."

"I hope so," Jack said, standing up.

"Wait," Robyn said, standing up too so she was next to her. "Can I, do you mind if," she raised a hand, "I'd like to know what you look like."

"Two eyes, two ears, a nose and a mouth like most people," Jack said.

"Yeah, well I know that," Robyn said with a grin.

"Didn't want to be disappointing," Jack said.

Robyn gently touched her hand to Jack's face, examining her angular features. Many times as a child Robyn had 'looked' at her Mother like this, her small hands identifying the curves and hollows of the face she had loved most in the world. Where her Mother's face had been soft, Jack's had a sharpness to it – prominent cheekbones and a general thinness. Robyn may have been blind since she was born, but she could see the differences between their faces as clearly as a sighted person could.

"Thanks," Robyn said, lowering her hand.

"You're welcome," Jack said, and left the room, clicking the door shut gently behind her.

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That night Robyn dreamed that she was looking at Jack's face again, only this time her hand trailed down to her throat and choked the life out of her, the voice of the girl from the clothes store echoing in her ears, telling her she was a good soldier.

She woke up sweating, her heart beating so fast she thought it might explode from her chest. She got up and walked around, the cold night air cooling and calming her. Nothing, she reminded herself again and again, nothing would drive her to that.

Eventually, she returned to bed, and fell back into a deep and dreamless sleep. When she woke again, the feeling of the dream was no where near as intense as it had been during the night, but it was still there, and it was a long time after breakfast and shopping in San Fransisco before she was able to banish it completely.

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As Jack and Robyn retreated to get dressed ready for the party, Warren caught a rare moment alone with his father. He knew the chance to speak to him privately would be hard to come by once guests started arriving, so he didn't waste the opportunity. Getting ready for the party himself could wait until later.

"She's a lovely woman," Mr Worthington said of Robyn.

"I know," Warren said, "such a shame Magneto has targeted her – but then, he has a habit of going after the nicest people."

"Is she really all that powerful? She doesn't look like she has it in her to hurt a fly."

"She packs a punch," Warren spoke from experience, having been on the receiving end of one of Robyn's blasts more than once during training sessions. "Though I doubt she'd ever want to hurt anyone, I have no doubts that she _could_."

"The fact that she wouldn't is something to be glad of, you have enough enemies," Mr Worthington said.

"I'm not worried about Magneto," Warren said. "He has some sort of twisted respect for Jack – he wouldn't do anything to hurt her, and I think hurting me comes under that umbrella."

"That Jack can command the respect of such a man I find astonishing, and I don't mean her any offence by that – I have the greatest respect and admiration for her myself. But Magneto's respect must have far narrower parameters than mine. He certainly doesn't seem to have any qualms about hurting and killing people – I can't imagine Jack doing anything that would impress him."

"You didn't see her that day in Central Park," Warren said, a little darkness creeping into his voice that the elder Worthington didn't miss.

"Is everything ok with you two, son?" he asked.

"I love her, more than anything," Warren said, "but that doesn't mean she doesn't scare me sometimes."

"How so?"

"Just the things she does sometimes."

"Like what?"

"Like earning Magneto's respect for a start."

Mr Worthington knew very little of what had happened that day in Central Park, and knew better than to ask, but he also knew that whatever had transpired had done so for good reason, even if it wasn't entirely to everyone's taste.

"That was one time, one thing – nothing like that has happened since?"

"No," Warren admitted. "But, I don't know, sometimes she gets this look in her eyes, and it just makes me wonder how well I really know her."

"As well as you possibly can for the year or so you've known her, I should imagine," Mr Worthington said, "unfortunately you can never know another person completely, not even after ten, twenty, fifty years. The innermost workings of someone's mind can only be accessed by a few people, and fortunately they tend to have the good grace to know what is private and should stay that way."

"Yeah, I know that," Warren said. "I don't know, I'm just being stupid. I've never felt this strongly about anything before in my life – I think that scares me more than anything. It's just not helped by the fact that Jack can be so… alien sometimes."

"That's a problem with women generally. Women and from Venus, men are from Mars and all that. Of course, you don't make it any easier on yourself, falling for a girl from another planet altogether," Mr Worthington teased.

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